The Pasquale Grasso Trio delivered an amazing performance last Saturday at The Stissing Center. Pasquale is a southern Italian guitarist who has been living in New York City for the past eighteen years. He speaks perfect English and now tours the world as a soloist or band leader for quartets or trio performances. The latter was on stage.
When one thinks of a jazz trio, one usually conjures up the concept of piano, bass, and drums, but here we have a six-string treble lead guitarist with wizard fingering and novel arrangements of jazz standards, as well as original compositions. During daylight he teaches guitar and performs at night. Last Saturday night, his trio performed to a capacity crowd who greatly appreciated his marvelous fingering on the guitar.
Pasquale has numerous CD recordings with Sony Masterworks and sports an amazingly large repertoire. He is currently considered the best living jazz guitarist. At the beginning of the concert, Pasquale spoke of his childhood and his discovery of American jazz, learning to play from recordings given to him by a humble hardware shop. He began playing guitar at the age of five.
Pasquale’s principal influence on his style is Bud Powell and Bill Evans, yet the Trio played not only Powell but a wide assortment that included Art Tatum, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Chet Baker, and Bessie Smith. Pasquale is a one-man guitarist who almost sounds like a piano. His harmonic approach aspires to the sound of two pianos! He describes his fingering technique as a “hybrid between jazz picking from the modern plectrum school of George Shearing’s guitar, Chuck Wayne, and the classical-guitar technique.” His unusual guitar was made by the great Bryant Trenier.
The other two members of the trio were top hat: Ari Roland on double bass and Andy Watson on drums.
At 37, Pasquale has a great career ahead. If you missed this concert, Pasquale will be playing at NYC’s Birdland from April 11 to May 9.
