Denison's fourth annual Jazz Guitar Festival featuring a series of clinics and three concerts is set for Saturday (Oct. 14) and Sunday (Oct. 15). Jazz legends Gene Bertoncini and Frank Vignola are among the featured artists this year.

The festival opens with an afternoon of pre-concert clinics featuring Ohio artists Tim Cummiskey, Stan Smith, Chris Buzzelli and guitar maker Gary Zimnicki running from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 14) in the Burke Hall Rehearsal Room. Following the clinics, Vignola presents a concert and demonstration on the "History of the Jazz Guitar" at 4 p.m. also in the Burke Rehearsal Room.

Later on Saturday, Bertoncini combines with the Denison Strings in a concert at 8 p.m. in Burke Recital Hall. The festival concludes with a grand finale concert featuring Bertoncini, Vignola, Buzzelli, Cummiskey and Smith along with Doug Richeson and Guy Remonko at 4 p.m. on Sunday (Oct. 15). These events, organized and directed by Denison faculty member Tom Carroll, are free and open to the public.

The pre-concert clinics will address "Scales and Beyond" with Cummiskey (11 a.m.), "Jazz Harmony on the Guitar" with Smith (12 p.m.), "How to Learn a Tune" with Buzzelli (1 p.m.) and "Modern Guitarmaking" with Zimnicki (2 to 4 p.m.).

Returning for his fifth Denison visit, Bertoncini has firmly established himself as one of the most eloquent and versatile masters of the guitar. His performances integrate jazz, classical, pop, and bossa nova styles with his own improvisations. Bertoncini has worked with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Benny Goodman Sextet, Tony Bennett, Lena Horne and Paul Desmond to name a few.

Vignola has been called "a technical master of the guitar" by Jazziz magazine. He is known for his ability to play all styles of jazz guitar, ranging from Django Rheinhart to Wes Montgomery, says Carroll. He teamed up with Joe Ascione in 1996 to form a contemporary jazz group called Unit Four, which combines elements of groove, textures and melody. Vignola has toured all over the U.S., Europe and Japan, and will be making his second Denison appearance.

All returning artists, the Ohio performers include Smith, Buzzelli and Cummiskey. Smith is head of the jazz and contemporary guitar curriculum at Capital University as well as guitarist for the Columbus Symphony Pops Series. Buzzelli, who plays the seven string guitar, directs the guitar program at Bowling Green University and has recorded a number of albums. Cummiskey is on the faculty of Ohio State University.

A native of Michigan, Zimnicki is one of the top guitar makers in the United States and will give a demonstration on guitar construction.

Performing with the artists are Richeson on bass and Remonko on drums. Richeson, an affiliated studio instructor in Denison's music department, has toured and recorded with Phil Collins and Tony Bennett, appearing on three Grammy-award winning albums with Bennett. Remonko is director of percussion studies at Ohio University and is a member of the Bob Thompson Trio. This is his fourth appearance at the festival.

Carroll has been an instructor in Denison's music department since 1980. He has performed with Ernie Watts, Marvin Stamm, Rusty Bryant and Gary Carney and leads his own ensemble, The Tom Carroll Trio.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

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