Julian Lage Explained

Julian Lage
Background:non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth Date:25 December 1987
Birth Place:Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
Genre:Jazz
Occupation:Musician, composer
Instrument:Guitar
Label:EmArcy, Mack Avenue, Blue Note[1]
Spouse:Margaret Glaspy

Julian Lage (; born December 25, 1987) is an American guitarist and composer.

Early life and career

Lage was born in Santa Rosa, California, and is the youngest of five children.[2] His father, Mario, is a visual artist, and his mother is of Jewish heritage (although he did not grow up in a religious household).[3] A child prodigy, Lage was the subject of the 1996 short documentary film Jules at Eight.[4] At 12, he performed at the 2000 Grammy Awards. Three years later, he became a faculty member of the Stanford Jazz Workshop at Stanford University.[5] Classically trained at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, he has studied at Sonoma State University and the Ali Akbar College of Music. He graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 2008.[6]

On March 24, 2009 EmArcy released his debut album Sounding Point to favorable reviews.[7] [8] It was nominated for the 2010 Grammy Award Best Contemporary Jazz Album. His second album, Gladwell, was released April 26, 2011, to positive reviews.[9] [10] [11] [12] His first solo acoustic album, World's Fair, was released on March 2, 2015, and his fourth album, Arclight, was released on March 11, 2016.

In a 2016 interview promoting Arclight on the NPR program Fresh Air Lage revealed that around the time of the release of World's Fair he struggled with focal dystonia, a neurological disorder resulting from the repeated performance of tasks. The disorder caused spasms in his left arm and hand while trying to play the guitar. He believed that the condition was brought on at age five from playing and gripping the neck of his guitar too hard, because the guitar was bigger than he was. At the time, he believed that was what he needed to do to "sound official... and [not] drop the guitar." He had to "re-learn how to play the guitar in a way that... addressed these tendencies that got [him] in trouble in the first place."[13]

He has worked in a trio with Scott Colley and drummer Kenny Wollesen and has recorded duo albums with guitarists Chris Eldridge, Gyan Riley, and Nels Cline. For the 2017 guitar duo album Mount Royal, Lage and Eldridge received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.[14]

Lage is presently a faculty member at The School of Jazz and Contemporary Music at The New School, where he teaches ensembles and guitar. He has taught at the New England Conservatory of Music.[15]

On March 17, 2021, it was announced that he signed to Blue Note Records. Along with the announcement, it was announced that his debut release on the label entitled Squint would be released on June 11. The lead single "Saint Rose" was released on that day as well.[1] April 9 saw the release on the second single "Boo's Blues."[16]

View With a Room was released on September 16, 2022[17] The lead single "Auditorium" was released on June 21.[18] "Word for Word", the second single, was released on July 13.[19] The third single "Tributary" was released on August 10.[20] The fourth single, "Chavez" was released on August 31.[21]

On November 14, 2023, Lage continued to prioritize acoustic-focused instrumentation with the release of the single "Omission",[22] building on the style established on his EP The Layers, which was released on March 17, 2023.[23]

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Gary Burton

With John Zorn

With others

Awards and nominations

Julian Lage
Wins:1
Nominations:4
Award1:Grammy Awards
Award1w:0
Award1n:3
Award2:Independent Music Awards
Award2w:1
Award2n:1
YearNominated workEventAwardResult
2010Sounding PointGrammy AwardsBest Contemporary Jazz Album
2018Mount Royal (with Chris Eldridge)Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
2018Independent Music AwardsBest Instrumental Album
2019Modern LoreGrammy AwardsBest Contemporary Instrumental Album

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Guitar Virtuoso Julian Lage Signs To Blue Note, Announces New Album, 'Squint'. Peacock. Tim. March 17, 2021. UDiscoverMusic. July 15, 2022.
  2. Web site: Mergner . Lee . 'A cycle of love and curiosity': Julian Lage's lifetime of inspiration from his elders and peers . WBGO . 2 October 2023 . en . 3 August 2023.
  3. Web site: Harris . George W. . Julian Lage's Modern Lore . www.jazzweekly.com . 2 October 2023 . 1 February 2018.
  4. Web site: Julian Lage: Stepping Into the Limelight . RJ. Deluke . All About Jazz . 2009-03-23 . 2010-09-24.
  5. Web site: Stanford Jazz Festival, Jazz Camp & Jazz Residency: A swinging success! . Stanford Jazz Workshop . 2010-09-25.
  6. Web site: Julian Lage's Modern Lore . Mack Avenue.
  7. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1504003|pure_url=yes}} Sounding Point: Review ]. Michael. Nastos . Allmusic . 2010-09-25.
  8. News: Julian Lage: Sounding Point . John. Fordham . The Guardian . 2011-06-01. London. 2009-05-01.
  9. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r2147992|pure_url=yes}} Gladwell: Review ]. Alex . Henderson . Allmusic. 2011-05-30.
  10. Web site: Julian Lage Group, Gladwell . Frank . Alkyer . Downbeat . 2011-05-01 . 2011-05-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110511005438/http://www.downbeat.com/default.asp?sect=editorspicks201105#2 . 2011-05-11 . dead .
  11. News: Julian Lage "Gladwell" . Nate. Chinen. New York Times. 2011-05-02 . 2011-05-30.
  12. News: Noisy Neighbors, New sounds from close to home. Andrew. Gilbert. Boston Globe . 2011-04-22.
  13. Web site: Jazz Guitarist Julian Lage On 'Arclight' And Shifting Musical Genres . April 13, 2016 . NPR Music . May 9, 2023.
  14. Web site: Julian Lage at 30: A Visit in San Francisco With the Jazz Guitar Phenomenon . Adam. Perlmutter . 2018-02-24. Acoustic Guitar.
  15. Web site: Julian Lage. Necmusic.edu. 2021-06-11.
  16. Web site: Julian Lage Shares 'Boo's Blues' Single. Todd. Nate. April 9, 2021. JamBase. July 15, 2021.
  17. Web site: Julian Lage teams up with Bill Frisell on new album View With a Room. Feibel. Adam. June 27, 2022. Jazz.FM91. Jazz.FM. July 15, 2022.
  18. Web site: Julian Lage Announces New Album With Bill Frisell & Shares First Song. Major. Michael. June 21, 2022. BroadwayWorld. July 15, 2022.
  19. Web site: Julian Lage Shares New Single 'Word For Word'. Schube. Will. July 13, 2022. uDiscoverMusic. July 15, 2022.
  20. Web site: Listen To Julian Lage's New Song 'Tributary'. Schube. Will. August 10, 2022. uDiscoverMusic. August 14, 2022.
  21. Web site: Watch Julian Lage Dial Up the Virtuosity in the Video for Playful New Single, "Chavez". Horsely. Jonathan. August 31, 2022. Guitar Player. November 18, 2022.
  22. Web site: Julian Lage: New Single 'Omission' Out Now; Spring 2024 Tour Announced & a Grammy Nomination for 'The Layers' . November 14, 2023 . Blue Note . March 12, 2024.
  23. Web site: Julian Lage Releases 'The Layers' Featuring Bill Frisell, Jorge Roeder & Dave King . March 17, 2023 . Blue Note . March 12, 2024.
  24. Web site: Julian Lage: Live in Los Angeles . Mackavenue.com. 17 February 2021.
  25. Web site: Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge - Mount Royal. Free Dirt Records & Service Co.. 2 February 2018 .
  26. Web site: Bone Collector video from Julian & Chris . 10 January 2017. Bluegrass Today. 2 February 2018.
  27. Web site: Julian Lage announces new album Speak to Me. Feibel. Adam. January 17, 2024. Jazz.FM91. January 19, 2024.

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