Vic Juris
Victor E. Jurusz Jr., known professionally as Vic Juris (September 26, 1953 – December 31, 2019) was an American jazz guitarist.
Music career[edit]
Juris was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, but he moved with his family to Parsippany early in his life.[1] In 1963, at the age of 10, he began learning guitar.[2] At 11, he studied guitar at the home of his teacher, Ed Berg, and got interested in jazz listening to Berg’s records of guitarists Django Reinhardt, Jim Hall, Barney Kessel, Jimmy Raney, and Johnny Smith. When asked about albums that made an impact on him as a kid, Juris cites Rubber Soul by The Beatles, The Dynamic Duo by Wes Montgomery and Jimmy Smith, Larry Coryell‘s debut album, and Are You Experienced by Jimi Hendrix. In his teens he played the rock music of the 1960s. When he was 19, he met blind saxophonist Eric Kloss and they became friends.[1] He made his first recording on Kloss’s album Bodies’ Warmth (Muse, 1975).[2] Around the same time, he met guitarist Pat Martino, who became a friend and mentor.[1]
Juris recorded with Richie Cole during 1976–78 and released his debut album as a leader, Road Song, in 1979.[3] In the early 1980s, he turned to acoustic guitar in duos with Larry Coryell and Biréli Lagrène, and in the late 1980s he worked with Gary Peacock‘s band. Since 1991 he has spent much of his career with saxophonist David Liebman.[2]
During the 1990s, he worked as sideman with Lee Konitz and Peggy Stern (1992), Benny Waters (1993), Jeanie Bryson (1993–94), Gary Peacock (since 1994), Steve LaSpina (since 1995), Judi Silvano (1996), Ken Serio (1996, 2007) and Joe Locke (1998).[4]
Juris taught at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, Lehigh University, and Rutgers University and wrote instructional books for guitar.[1]
Discography[edit]
As leader[edit]
- Roadsong (Muse, 1978)
- Horizon Drive (Muse, 1980)
- Bleecker Street (Muse, 1982)
- Night Tripper (SteepleChase, 1995)
- Pastels (SteepleChase, 1996)
- Music of Alex Wilder (Double-Time, 1996)
- Moonscape (SteepleChase, 1997)
- Remembering Eric Dolphy (SteepleChase, 2000)
- Songbook (SteepleChase, 2000)
- Songbook 2 (SteepleChase, 2002)
- While My Guitar Gently Weeps (SteepleChase, 2004)
- Blue Horizon (Zoho, 2004)
- A Second Look (Mel Bay, 2005)
- Journey with Giuseppe Continenza (Jardis, 2005)
- Bohemia with John Etheridge (Jazzpoint, 2006)
- Omega is the Alpha (SteepleChase, 2010)
- Listen Here (SteepleChase, 2011)
- Free Admission (SteepleChase, 2012)
- Walking on Water (SteepleChase, 2014)
- Vic Plays Victor Young (SteepleChase, 2016)
- Eye Contact (SteepleChase, 2018)[5]
- Two Guitars (SteepleChase, 2019)
As sideman[edit]
With Richie Cole
- New York Afternoon (Muse, 1977)
- Alto Madness (Muse, 1977)
- Keeper of the Flame (Muse, 1979)
- 1988 Signature
- 1992 Popbop
- 1996 West Side Story
- 1998 Richie & Phil & Richie
- 2006 Rises’s Rose Garden
With Lee Konitz
- Lunasea (Soul Note, 1992) with Peggy Stern
With David Liebman
- 1991 Classic Ballads
- 1994 Miles Away
- 1994 Songs for My Daughter
- 1995 Voyage
- 1996 Return of the Tenor
- 1998 John Coltrane’s Meditations
- 2000 Contemporary Standards & Originals
- 2001 Liebman Plays Puccini
- 2001 The Unknown Jobim
- 2003 Beyond the Line
- 2003 Conversation
- 2004 In a Mellow Tone
- 2007 Back on the Corner
- 2007 Blues All Ways
- 2010 Live: As Always
- 2010 Turnaround: The Music of Ornette Coleman
- 2013 Lineage
- 2014 A Tribute to Wayne Shorter
With Steve LaSpina
- 1995 When I’m Alone
- 1996 Story Time
- 1997 Road Ahead
- 1997 When Children Smile
- 2008 Moments
- 2011 Destiny
With Arthur Lipner
- 1991 In Any Language
- 1993 The Magic Continues
- 1998 Portraits in World Jazz
- 2015 Two Hands, One Heart
With Barry Miles
- 1976 Sky Train
- 1977 Fusion Is…
With Mel Tormé
- 1977 Mel’s London Mood
- 1977 The London Sessions
With Don Patterson
- 1977 Movin’ Up!
- 1998 Steady Comin’ at Ya
With Judi Silvano
- 1996 Vocalise
- 2000 Songs I Wrote, Or Wish I Did
With Biréli Lagrène
- 1993 Live at the Carnegie Hall
- 2001 A Tribute to Django Reinhardt
With others
- 1974 Bodies’ Warmth, Eric Kloss
- 1985 Hitchhiker of Karoo, Brian Torff
- 1991 The Whole Truth, Lenore Raphael
- 1992 Lunasea, Lee Konitz / Peggy Stern
- 1993 Bitter Sweet, Stephanie Nakasian
- 1993 Plays Songs of Love, Benny Waters
- 1995 Passion Dance, Roseanna Vitro
- 1995 Pull My Daisy, David Amram
- 1998 Slander (and Other Love Songs), Joe Locke
- 1999 Savannah Samurai, Charlie Mariano
- 2002 Double Play, Marc Copland
- 2004 Centerpiece, Giacomo Gates
- 2004 Homage, James Moody
- 2004 Improvised, Jeremy Steig
- 2006 The Brother’s Breakfast, Loren Stillman
- 2006 Walking with My Bass, Nilson Matta
- 2011 The Moon Is Waiting, Tim Hagans
- 2014 Quiet Pride: The Elizabeth Catlett Project, Rufus Reid[6]
References[edit]
- ^ Jump up to:a b c d Schermer, Victor L. (28 July 2009). “Vic Juris: Tension and Release”. All About Jazz. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
- ^ Jump up to:a b c Milkowski, Bill (August 2002). “Vic Juris”. Jazz Times. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
- ^ Yanow, Scott. “Vic Juris | Biography”. AllMusic. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- ^ Barry Kernfeld, The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. 2nd edition. Oxford, 2002, v. 2, p. 467.
- ^ “Vic Juris | Album Discography”. AllMusic. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
- ^ “Vic Juris | Credits”. AllMusic. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
