Called “the best guitar player I’ve heard in my entire life” by Pat Metheny, Pasquale Grasso has created a striking style by treating the guitar as if it were a bebop piano. His technique is unmatched — fast runs, clean articulation, and complete control across the instrument — but he serves up lines and phrasing more often heard from Bud Powell and Dizzy Gillespie than from typical guitar heroes. He executes melodies with a classical precision that feels incredibly smooth without ever crossing into predictable “smooth jazz.” The result is a musically sophisticated yet deeply accessible evening.

UpStage is an intimate, cabaret-style setting on the Phillips Center Mainstage. The 7:00 p.m. seating includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and cash bar; the 9:00 p.m. seating includes desserts and cash bar.