A bio that lists Grammy awards, platinum albums, and a stint playing with one of Rock and Roll’s signature icons is only a part of the story: Laurence Juber is recognized today as one of the foremost fingerstyle acoustic guitarists in the world, and he is giving a free-will donation concert here in Long Beach on April 5 at Grace First Presbyterian Church.
As a young working musician in London, England in the 1970s, Laurence Juber got an extraordinary, life-changing break when Paul McCartney picked him to become Wings’ lead guitarist. Juber spent three years recording and touring with the band. During that time he won a Best Rock Instrumental GRAMMYR for the track “Rockestra” from the Wings album Back to the Egg.
After Wings disbanded in 1981, Juber embarked on a career as a solo artist, composer and arranger, and soon developed a reputation as a world-class guitar virtuoso, being voted #1 by Fingerstyle Guitar magazine. He has released 12 critically acclaimed solo albums, including LJ Plays the Beatles, Guitarist and One Wing. His latest release I’ve Got the World on 6 Strings, is a collection of solo guitar arrangements of tunes by Harold Arlen, composer of ‘Over The Rainbow’, and ‘Stormy Weather’ among many other classics.
Juber’s DVD Guitar Noir is DVD Etc. magazine’s top pick for surround-sound 5.1 audio and earned a 2005 CEA “Demmy” award for sonic excellence. His solo guitar arrangement of “The Pink Panther Theme” is featured on the Best Pop Instrumental GRAMMYR-winning album Henry Mancini-Pink Guitar. The venerable C.F. Martin Company currently offers an ‘LJ’ Signature model guitar and GHS Strings market Juber’s Signature guitar strings.
Acoustic Guitar magazine wrote that Laurence is “one of the most gifted and versatile fingerstyle guitarists on the scene.” Guitar Player magazine said: “Poppy yet soulful, Laurence Juber is a master of timbral and dynamic shading. He draws you in like a seasoned storyteller.” The Tennesseean wrote that LJ is “worthy of guitar-Jedi status.”
The concert will be held in the sanctuary of Grace First Presbyterian Church on Saturday, April 5, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. Grace First Presbyterian Church is located at 3955 Studebaker Rd. at the corner of Studebaker and Los Coyotes Diagonal in Long Beach. The phone number is 562-420-3393. The concert is a free-will donation concert. For more information about the concerts, or for interviews, please contact Stan DeWitt, Minister of Music, at 562-420-3393. You can find out more about Juber at www.laurencejuber.com.
The remaining concerts in the Concert Series are:
Fullerton College Choral Department – Sunday, April 27, 2008, 4:00 p.m.
Dewey Erney and friends – Sunday, June 1, 2008, 4:00 p.m., (jazz)