LES PAUL
“Les Paul: Thru the Lens,” a collection of photographs documenting the life and career of the guitarist and inventor, will run at the Pollak Gallery at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, March 20 to May 31. It’s a traveling exhibition presented courtesy of the Les Paul Foundation; visit monmouth.edu/mca/event/les-paul-thru-the-lens.
In conjunction with it, there will be a concert, titled “The Les Paul Experience,” paying tribute to Paul at the university’s Pollak Theatre, May 12. Singer and guitarist Bobby Bandiera will serve as musical director in addition to performing, and other participants will include Sonny Kenn, Anthony Krizan, Reagan Richards, Billy Hector, Lenny Kaye, Layonne Holmes, Tony Perruso, John Pittas, Kevin Bregande, Muddy Shews, Tommy LaBella and Jillian Rhys McCoy.
Three will be a pre-show reception with music by Monmouth student Jenaé Louis Jacques and, according to the Monmouth website, “the evening will conclude with an informal Q&A with friends and colleagues of Les Paul.”
Paul is well known, of course, for many reasons, including his crucial work in the development of the electric guitar and multitrack recording; the many pop hits he had (mainly with his wife, singer Mary Ford), in the ’40s and ’50s; and the nightclub appearances he made into his 90s. He was a longtime Mahwah resident and died in 2009, at the age of 94.
Visit monmouth.edu/mca/event/the-les-paul-experience.
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