Laurence Juber - WKTV Journal

Laurence Juber in a 2016 photo by Mickey Deneher

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

Laurence Juber not only knows hot to handle an electric guitar — and he has two Grammys to prove it — he also knows how to handle a camera lens.

Both talents will be on display at the Muskegon Museum of Art this month as, first, “The Photography of Laurence Juber” — photographs from his 2014 book, Guitar with Wings, which showcases the intimate photographs of his days as guitarist with Paul McCartney’s band Wings — is currently on display through September.

Then, on Friday, June 14, Juber will be in concert at the museum’s Frey Auditorium starting at 7 p.m., with a pre-concert reception at 5:30 p.m.

At the time of the book’s release, Vintage Guitar magazine called it “A treasure trove for fans of McCartney, Wings or pop music in general,” accord to the book’s website, while Beatlefan magazine said: “Juber’s book chronicling the last years of Wings is a fitting tribute to an under-examined period of McCartney’s career, and Wings fans in particular will find both his pictures and the eloquent text an enjoyable addition to their library.”

As far as Juber’s musical talents? If Pete Townshend, of The Who, no slouch with the guitar himself, called him “a master”, you got to believe. And then there are those Grammys.

Juber is a music graduate of London’s Goldsmith’s College, he was featured guitar soloist with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra before becoming established as a studio musician in the mid-1970’s, according to supplied material. As lead guitarist in McCartney’s Wings he won his first Grammy. After Wings broke up, Juber has gone on to released 27 solo albums. The latest, “Downtown”, is a 2018 collection of standards. His solo arrangement of “The Pink Panther Theme” earned him a second Grammy.

As a studio musician, he has worked with artists such as Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks, Seal, and the French chanteuse Sylvie Vartin. He also co-composed the soundtrack of the award-winning video game “Diablo III”, scored the NBC Dateline documentary “Children Of The Harvest” and was also featured in the Ken Burns’ documentary “The Tenth Inning.”

That is what you call not resting on your laurels.

And while you are at the MMA, catch “Lights, Camera, Rock ‘n’ Roll: Music Photography by Paul Jendrasiak”, which spans the career of the veteran Michigan concert photographer and includes “stunning front-row photographs of rock stars performing at venues throughout the state over the past two decades,” accord to supplied material. The exhibition also runs through September.

Tickets to the Laurence Juber in concert are $25 in advance (for non members) and $30 at door, and the ticket includes the pre-concert reception with a cash bar. The Muskegon Museum of Art is locate at 296 W. Webster Ave. For more information call 231-720-2580 or visit muskegonartmuseum.org .

By Marguerite Curran, Muskegon Museum of Art

Summer at the Muskegon Museum of Art starts in May and celebrates Pop Culture and Rock ‘n’ Roll, along with displays from the permanent collection and paintings by first-ever Bennett Prize finalists. An array of special programs accompany the gallery shows.

Pop

Replay: The Exhibition celebrates American Pop and Geek culture through a variety of media, including large-scale LEGO® brick sculptures. The galleries housing the colorful show have been newly refinished with walls resembling giant LEGO bricks to make a backdrop for artwork that explores how iconic cartoons, video games, movies, and comic heroes and villains influence our culture. Kids of all ages can enjoy racing LEGO brick cars on a downhill racecourse, draw self-portraits on a mirror, practice figure drawing with wooden models, and build their own plastic brick creations. A $5 admission upgrade will be applied for entrance to the Replay exhibition galleries. Replay opened on May 9 and will run through Aug. 18, 2019.

Rock ‘n’ Roll

Lights, Camera, Rock ‘n’ Roll: Music Photography by Paul Jendrasiak spans the career of the veteran Michigan concert photographer. Stunning front-row photographs of rock stars performing at venues throughout the state over the past two decades will bring back memories for many viewers. The exhibition runs May 23 through Sept. 1, 2019.

Programs

Paul Jendrasiak will be at the MMA to talk about his work and experiences at the opening of the show on May 23.

A Rock Star Super Saturday family program on Aug. 10 will give budding artists a chance to create their own limelight-worthy artwork.

Guitar with Wings: The Photography of Laurence Juber features photographs by Juber from his 2014 book Guitar with Wings, which showcases the intimate photographs he took of the McCartneys during his days with Wings. The exhibition runs May 16 through September 1, 2019.

Laurence Juber in Concert: “A Master” – Pete Townshend (The Who) Laurence Juber will perform in concert at the MMA on June 14. $25 Advance Tickets are available at the MMA by phone at 231.720.2580 or online HERE. Tickets will be $30 at the door.

Juber was lead guitarist in Paul McCarney’s band Wings and has since established himself as a world-renowned musician, winning two Grammys. He fuses folk, jazz, and pop to create a multifaceted performance.

Ticket includes a 5:30 pm pre-concert reception.

The Bennett Prize

Margaret Bowland, *Detail of White Fives*, 2012. Oil on linen, 84 x 70 in.

Rising Voices: The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realist Painters opened May 2 with an announcement of the first-ever $50,000 prize winner, Aneka Ingold of Tampa, FL. Twenty-nine paintings by the winner and the other nine finalists from across the country comprise the show. The works exemplify universal issues as well as stories specific to the artists. The finalists were chosen from a field of over 600 entries. The Bennett Prize exhibition project and accompanying show catalogue were organized by the MMA, The Pittsburgh Foundation, and Steven Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt—avid collectors of and advocates for women artists painting in the figurative realist style. Special films, a figure drawing workshop, and an original theatrical performance will accompany the exhibition. Rising Voices runs through Sept. 8, 2019.

The Muskegon Museum of Art is located at 296 W. Webster Ave. in downtown Muskegon. The Museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays and closed Mondays. Parking is free and bus parking is available. Go to www.muskegonartmuseum.org for up-to-date visitor information, including gallery and store hours.