From the African rhythmic rituals, Jazz originated in the African-American communities of Louisiana and underwent multiple astounding transformations over a century. Now, it is unequivocally accepted as an art form with the utmost artistic freedom. Among the torchbearers of our current era, Julian Lage is a musician who possesses a sui generis style as a jazz guitarist.
Born in 1987, Julian was a child prodigy. He started playing guitar at the age of 5 and he had already shared a stage with Carlos Santana. By 1996, he was the subject of a short documentary film Jules at Eight. Mentored by legendary vibraphonist Gary Burton and guitarist Jim Hall, Julian internalized the true essence of jazz, blues, rock and many other genres. Subsequently, His debut album Sounding Point went on to be nominated for the 2010 Grammy Award for “Best Contemporary Jazz Album”.
As a prominent guitarist, Lage has a sharp and immaculate musical intuition, that sets him apart from the crowd of contemporary jazz musicians. It developed as time went on from the very first time he took up a guitar. However, intrinsic qualities of his music were also being nurtured within him– clarity and directedness. These seemingly obvious traits played a crucial role in his renowned solo work in addition to his frequent collaborations with musicians such as Gary Burton and John Zorn, and his duo projects with Nels Cline, Chris Eldridge and Fred Hersch.
Julian Lage was trained classically at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He studied at Sonoma State University and the Ali Akbar College of Music before graduating from the Berklee College of Music. His music has a revelatory effect on the audience. Time after time, he showcased his riveting approach to harmony, melody and rhythm. His musical arsenal is equipped with a vast array of skills and nuances from ragtime to bebop and beyond as well as rustic folk music and the blues. Central to his music is his apt utilization of dynamics, texture and timbre of his instrument. There are always subtle nuances in his playing. From his single-line ideas to his mind-boggling counterpoints, from his reverberating strumming to byzantine hybrid picking, Julian’s music is poised and proficient in an unassuming manner.
Now, what follows is a list of 5 albums by Julian Lage (in no particular order) that you can explore yourself if you have not already. These albums are destined to strike a “chord” deep within anyone searching for something refreshing, original and timeless.
Julian Lage Group
Gladwell
2011, EmArcy
This outstanding album stands as an apposite follow-up to his debut album Sounding Point. Conceptualized a year before its release, it paints a vivid picture of an imaginary and forgotten city named Gladwell.
In this fusion album, jazz mixes with rock, folk and European classical. Aural imagery shifts from track to track, from the upbeat groove in “Telegram” to whispering busy cityscapes in “Cocoon”, subverting attention from the flashy technicality. Be that acoustic or electric, each track is charmingly melodious. His acoustic playing has always been as flawless as his electric one, “Catedral” solidifies this as a fact. Among original compositions, it features Julian’s own take on the jazz standard “Autumn Leaves.”
Julian Lage: electric guitar, acoustic guitar; Dan Blake: tenor saxophone, melodica; Aristides Rivas: cello; Jorge Roeder: acoustic bass; Tupac Mantilla: drums, percussion
Released April 26, 2011
Fred Hersch And Julian Lage
Free Flying
2013, Palmetto
The live album Free Flying is a delightful cornucopia of intricate improvisations. In collaboration with American jazz pianist, composer, and 17-time Grammy nominée Fred Hersch, Julian fuses baroque counterpoint, punctuated rhythms, and jazz motifs conjuring a rollercoaster ride from Bach to modern jazz.
Their synergistic duet of strings and keys breathes a new form of life in Thelonious Monk’s “Monk’s Dream” and Sam Rivers’ “Beatrice”. Original works on this record range from a near classical title track to a modern jazz one, “Stealthiness.” Regardless of the formalisms of music at play, sharp dynamics and soft melody span a vast new world for an extraordinary experience.
Fred Hersch: piano; Julian Lage: guitar
September 3, 2013
Nels Cline & Julian Lage
Room
2013, Mack Avenue
On Room, lyrical instrumentals flourish under the restraint of time. With Nels Cline, Lage takes vigorous strides on the edge of improvisation. Named by Rolling Stone as one of 20 “new guitar gods,” Cline always had an intimate and reflective approach in his previous endeavors in a duo.
Both artists brought together their sense of spontaneity and energy in the form of intense dialogues. These exchanges celebrate the serenity of artistry in “Whispers from Eve,” and at times fire up high-spirited synchronicity, as in “Odd End.” Room is an exploration for this pair of guitarists on an expansive labyrinth in search of a shared vision with only the sound of two clean, crunchy guitars.
Nels Cline: electric and acoustic guitars; Julian Lage: electric and acoustic guitars
Released November 25, 2014
Julian Lage
Arclight
2016, Mack Avenue
Arclight is Julian’s solo LP in a trio format joined by Scott Colley on double bass, and Kenny Wollesen on drums. Julian looked deeper into several pre-bebop tracks along with his original compositions. He has repeatedly expressed his fascination with electric guitar, partly owing to his guitar heroes.
Recorded with a Telecaster, a not-so-popular guitar for jazz, he has bared his more refined grasp of harmony and melody as well as eerily perfect technical proficiency on the fretboard in this album. Among the four covers Spike Hughes’ “Nocturne” and Sammy Fain’s “I’ll Be Seeing You,” feature some of his bewildering chordal works. Meanwhile, “Prospero” and “Ryland” dwell in Western landscapes and folklore, adding more characteristic traits to Arclight.
Julian Lage: electric guitar; Scott Colley: bass; Kenny Wollesen: drums, vibraphone
Released March 11, 2016
Julian Lage
View with a Room
2022, Blue Note
In Julian Lage’s own words, he pondered the possibility of making a record that emerges from a lush orchestration combined with an organic sense of improvisation and the agility of a small ensemble. With bassist Jorge Roeder, drummer Dave King and highly acclaimed jazz guitarist Bill Frisell, he set out to find the end to the rhetorical musical inquiry in View With A Room.
This is an exuberant, engaging, endlessly inventive exploration of styles, a wide range of guitar sounds and textures with distinctive master musicians as his cohorts. From the opening track “Tributary” to the end of “Fairbanks,” every song is laced with gossamer texture and striking dynamics, and each of them is the piece that we have to put together ourselves in order to answer the question.
Julian Lage: electric guitar; Bill Frisell: electric guitar, electric baritone guitar; Jorge Roeder: acoustic bass; Dave King: drums
Released September 16, 2022
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Where to Follow Julian Lage Online
Julian Lage actively engages with his audience through various online platforms. His official website offers a hub for his latest releases, tour dates, and news. You can also follow him on Facebook for updates, and join him on Instagram where he shares moments from his musical journey. For quick insights and announcements, you can follow him on Twitter.”
Final Words
Standing as a beacon of creativity and technical excellence in the contemporary jazz scene, Julian Lage nurtures an incessant drive for artistic growth. Paired with his uncanny ability to channel himself through his innovative compositions, it would not be too audacious to call him one of the greatest jazz guitarists in the history of jazz.