Sunday October 21, 2018 marks a notable date in Rockit Academy history. Our students had the rare opportunity to perform with members of the Les Paul trio. Les Paul’s right-hand man, Lou Pallo, bassist Gary Mazzaroppi, and guitarists Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo generously shared the stage with the Rockit Academy at the prestigious Manhattan venue, The Cutting Room NYC.

Over the past five weeks, the students partook in workshops organized by the Les Paul Foundation. The course of study included video presentations and documentaries about Les Paul, detailing his strong will and creative drive which led him to a sea of inventions that transformed the music industry; most notably sound-on-sound recording, and the solid-bodied Gibson guitar played by both rock stars and guitar lovers. The courses culminated with a live performance with the Rockit Live Foundation’s students in combination with Les Paul’s Trio, plus special guests, at The Cutting Room in New York City. Les Paul was a major advocate for music education and the Les Paul foundation emulates this heavily.  With frequent visits from Lou Pallo and other Trio members along with the dedication shown by the Rockit students, the rehearsal process carried out smoothly and professionally.  It is no surprise that once the collaborative group hit the stage, it was a success.