Vic Juris

Music career

Juris was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, but he moved with his family to Parsippiny early in his life. In 1963, at the age of 10, he began learning guitar. 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. He made his first recording on Kloss's album Bodies' Warmth (Muse, 1975). Around the same time, he met guitarist Pat Martino, who became a friend and mentor.

Juris recorded with Richie Cole during 1976–78 and released his debut album as a leader, Road Song, in 1979. In the early 1980s, he turned to acoustic guitar in duos with Larry Coryell and Biréli Lagrène, and in the late 1980's he worked with Gary Peacock's band. Since 1991 he has spent much of his career with saxophonist David Liebman.

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).

Juris has taught at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, Lehigh University, and Rutgers University and has written instructional books for guitar.

As leader

As sideman

With Richie Cole

With Lee Konitz

With David Liebman

With Steve LaSpina

With Arthur Lipner

With Barry Miles

With Mel Tormé

With Don Patterson

With Judi Silvano

With Biréli Lagrène

With others