Ever seeking the ever changing, jazz guitarist extraordinaire, Frank Vignola and his pal, drum legend, Joe Ascione celebrate 20 years of musical partnership by launching their electric gypsy jam vessel into uncharted musical waters with the release of SUBMARINE BUS (release date: April 18 on Venture Music Inc/ Barn Burner Music).

SUBMARINE BUS is a hilarious and refreshing romp in the hayfields of free form electric gypsy jazz, intricately doused with explosive homages to Hendrix, exploratory Zappa lyricism and trademark rumbling percussion. The groove is infectious, the musicianship impeccable, and the listening experience an odyssey into a quirky world previously only known to Fred & Jake (hint; you will never see them in the same room as Frank & Joe). It's improv as art form with juicy hook laden guitar riffs, alternately crunchy then clean, with world class percussion providing the pulse throughout. The live show is a musical cirque-du-soleil, as audience members consistently point to the fun the group has amongst themselves, as well as keeping the crowd interactive, whether by telling jokes or dropping jaws.

" What we’re doing is not a static process, it evolves with each performance. Frank and I have this real symbiosis from having played together for so long. To me it’s the definition of art because we’re constantly creating in the moment." comments Joe." The vibe is joyous and uplifting. The music’s got to be a culmination of a great melody combined with a rhythmic openness that can be explored time and again."

" For me personally, this is the first time I’ve been able to do what I do best. In addition to making virtuosic music, the other side of being a musician is to be truly entertaining no matter who's sitting in the audience." Frank notes of the live music setting." Things do happen when you play night after night. And we have fun with it. If you can’t have fun with the music you might as well not be in it."

Frank Vignola and Joe Ascione are considered consummate professionals, bandleaders and sidemen on the traditional side of jazz. Bios of the two describe child prodigies, developing into sought after and respected players.
Frank, when pronouncing his musical intentions at age 6, was gifted with his grandmother's vintage D'Angelico New Yorker guitar as well as records by Les Paul, and Bucky Pizzarelli, not to mention a stack of Django Reinhardt 48s he would quickly master. Frank also laid claim to the banjo and was crowned the Grand National Banjo Champion of Canada at 13 years old. From early on his influences were diverse, ranging from Django Reinhardt, Joe Pass and Les Paul to Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen and Bach. While still in his teens, Vignola was regarded as one of the top musicians in New York. He’s been a bandleader with Concord Jazz, Acoustic Disc and Nagel-Heyer and spent many years as Les Pauls trusty side as well as guitar slinger in Mark O’Connors Hot Trio.

Four year old Baby Joe pounded his mama's pots and pans with astounding purpose and rhythmic sensibility, budding into a dazzling polyrhythmic percussionist by his teens. Counting Gene Krupa, Philly Joe Jones and Buddy Rich among his greatest influences (having served as a roadie for the latter in his teenage years), Ascione has toured the world and appeared on over 60 albums as a sideman, in the process becoming one of the most in-demand drummers in the business. He is also an established bandleader and has 2 critically lauded solo albums under his belt. He’s held it down with everyone from Donald Fagen, & Cab Calloway to Noel Redding.

By the time most kids are deciding on prom dates, Frank and Joe were ensconced in a musical world of idols and legends. They quickly became seasoned studio and touring artists, playing with everyone from Madonna and Ringo Starr to Chet Atkins and Donald Fagen. Frank and Joe, as separate entities, found themselves in demand, but something was missing musically.

Frank and Joe's first meeting was typical. Frank's drummer couldn’t make a scheduled show and called Joe to fill in. This chance meeting created what would later be called THE FRANK AND JOE SHOW. A group so diverse in its musical influences, a fresh sound was inevitable. The pair was signed to Hyena Records and released their first CD 33 1/3 in 2004, followed by its bookend, 66 2/3 in 2005, both produced by the legendary Joel Dorn.

Submarine Bus, The Frank and Joe Show's third outing, has so much joy and energy emanating from it; one has to consider its medicinal value as music therapy. Each founding member older and wiser, this recording reflects the life changes of two grown men as musicians, exploring the finer points of real life and their unique music.

Frank's backward baseball cap, vintage Hendrix t -shirt and cargo pants, belie his headliner gig as a father of four. Frank, keenly aware of the health problems facing a road warrior musician, has developed a stringent lifestyle consisting of the organic and natural. Meanwhile, Joe holistically keeps the upper hand on MS, a condition he was diagnosed with several years ago, eschewing a mainstream pharmaceutical regime. A compelling story line, all the more impressive, because its effective.

The Frank and Joe Show embraces the ideals and joy of creating music, while acknowledging the challenges of a industry quick to gage current trends with a youth-o-meter. Submarine Bus is a younger product with a youthful perspective created by seasoned veterans

The songs comprising Submarine Bus are stunning amalgams of technicality, groove, funk and fun.

"Baby Wipes" the first track, starts the record off with a poly-rhythmic, measured build, the chant “ali-ka-Kal’ picks you up and drops into, the beautiful, delicate and sultry blues-jazz ballad, “I Trust In You". "Hey You" is the first lyrical piece, and predicts the bizarre brilliance of the band's word prowess and new jam nature. Heavy syncopation, free for all percussion and directed & poignant solos take the stage.

"In the Hills" is sweet, gypsy swing with an Indian influence. Lively Djembes and pinpoint gypsy guitar make this a treat for all those 331/3 and 66 2/3 devotees. "Fred and Jake" is a legal document, masked as a Southern rock epic, as if song by Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers. Crunching guitars over a background of distortion and wah. "Submarine Bus", the title track, is a funky tryst about Rusty the sandwich-maker, Dr. Woo and his prescription drug therapies, subsequent side effects, and Jack Trudeau saying ‘No’. Beware of the sandwich-stealing Octopus, as well!

"Trilogy" needs to be in a musician's primer on gigging, from getting the call to play a country club, to gathering the musicians, renting the van and even the description of the old ham sandwiches as hospitality. They are pure hilarity and completely uncontrived, a true to life statement on ‘Cocktail Jazz’ and of all things, bowling.

"Gravitational Pull" starts like a 2006 version of Eddie Van Halens’ ‘Eruption,’ and moves into even darker sonic territory. The hidden track on 66 2/3, done electrically, is white noise meets Mahavrishnu. The CD is capped by the off –the- wall brilliance of the acoustic laced "Barry's Trading Soybeans" a poignant, sad and humorous tale of the rise and fall of Barry the Berkley Bassist, who winds up both deaf & broke. "BBBBBAD LP" is a wild Spanish free for all. Flamenco guitar over shout outs to guitar greats, mentors & friends, a perfect end to a stunning and surprising listen.