Laurence Juber | |
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 Laurence Juber arrives for the California Saga 2 Charity Concert in Los Angeles California on July 3, 2019. | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1952-11-12)12 November 1952 (age 73) Stepney, East London, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Session musician |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1967–present |
| Formerly of | Wings |
| Website | laurencejuber |
Laurence Ivor Juber (born 12 November 1952) is an English musician,fingerstyle guitarist and studio musician. He played guitar in the rock bandWings from 1978 to 1981.
Born inStepney, East London, Juber was raised and went to school in North London. By his own account, he began playing guitar the week that single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" bythe Beatles was released.[1] Beginning on a cheapacoustic guitar, he learned to read music early and the system ofmusic notation. He began to earn money playing the guitar at 13, and began to studyclassical guitar at the age of 15.
Enraptured by the sounds on records of the mid- to late 1960s, he set his sights on becoming asession guitarist in London's music studios. While playing with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, he earned his music degree at London University'sGoldsmiths College, where he expanded his horizons by playing thelute. Upon graduation, he immediately began work as a session guitarist, working on his first project with formerBeatles producerGeorge Martin on an album forCleo Laine. In 1977, Juber was booked, along with session drummer Peter Boita, by London-based orchestral contractor David Katz to go toParis for a week to recordJe n'ai pas vu le temps passer... withCharles Aznavour in Barclay Records' studios. Sung entirely inFrench, the album went on to become one of Aznavour's biggest selling French language albums.
During this time, Juber worked on the 1977James Bond filmThe Spy Who Loved Me, as well the firstAlan Parsons Project album,Tales of Mystery and Imagination.[2]
Juber first metWings memberDenny Laine in late 1977 during filming for a BBC special for singerDavid Essex. With Wings lead guitaristJimmy McCulloch having recently departed, Laine added Juber to a list of possible replacements.[3]
Juber gave up his lucrative studio career when invited to join Wings in 1978. Juber later said that he agreed to join immediately "because you don't turn down that kind of job".[4] He played on the band'sBack to the Egg album (1979), as well as their subsequent UK tour. In 1980, he garnered his firstGrammy Award, when Wings' track "Rockestra Theme" won the award for Best Rock Instrumental.
Juber's first solo album,Standard Time, which he began recording during his time in Wings, was not released until 1982. LikeDenny Laine'sHolly Days LP, the release comprises covers of material of which McCartney owned the publishing. One track, "Maisie", was written by Juber himself. "Maisie" was recorded by the four male members of the final Wings line-up.[5] The album has not been reissued since its original vinyl release.
After Wings disbanded in early 1981, Juber moved to the United States. InNew York City, he met his future wife, Hope, and soon moved to her nativeCalifornia.[6] He played onRingo Starr's 1981 album,Stop and Smell the Roses. He subsequently resumed work as a studio musician and played guitar for numerous television shows, includingHappy Days,Family Ties,Home Improvement and7th Heaven. He composed the music forA Very Brady Christmas (1988),World Gone Wild (1988) andLittle Sweetheart (1990). He played guitar onBelinda Carlisle's "Mad About You",Eric Carmen's "Make Me Lose Control" as well asBill Medley andJennifer Warnes' "Time of My Life" andPatrick Swayze's "She's Like the Wind" from theDirty Dancing soundtrack.
Juber co-composed the soundtrack of the award-winning video gameDiablo III and crafted the score to theDateline NBC documentaryChildren of the Harvest. His music is also featured in theKen Burns TV documentaryThe Tenth Inning.
With his wife, Hope Juber, he has composed the scores to the musical comediesGilligan's Island: The Musical,A Very Brady Musical andIt's The Housewives![7]In addition to his own recording and performances, Juber has produced, arranged and played onAl Stewart's albumsBetween the Wars (1995),Down in the Cellar (2000),A Beach Full of Shells (2005) andSparks of Ancient Light (2008), and occasionally performs with Stewart.
In 2014 he released a "photo memoir"Guitar With Wings (published by Dalton Watson Fine Books)[8] which featured previously unpublished pictures of his time working withPaul McCartney.
In 1990, Juber released his second solo album,Solo Flight. During the next decade he would begin to explore altered tunings, especially "DADGAD". In 2000, Juber released the solo albumLJ plays the Beatles andThe Collection and in 2003 the albumGuitarist was released to critical acclaim. Juber's credentials as a top-tier fingerstyle guitarist continue to grow. Having been voted "Guitarist of the Year" by readers ofFingerstyle Guitar magazine, as well as one of the top acoustic players of all time byAcoustic Guitar magazine, Juber is an ambassador for his instrument as well as his own music. He has released many critically acclaimed solo albums, and has earned a secondGrammy for Best Pop Instrumental for his solo guitar arrangement of "The Pink Panther Theme" on the CDHenry Mancini: Pink Guitar. Juber has also released a series of instructional CDs that teach basic music theory and arrangement techniques for guitarists and has three folios of his arrangements of pop songs published by Hal Leonard.
Juber is married to former actress Hope Schwartz, whose fatherSherwood was producer ofGilligan’s Island andThe Brady Bunch—she was a guest multiple times on the latter show. They have two daughters, Nico Juber and songwriterIlsey Juber.
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