Julian Lage

**Jazzyteach65** · 08-28-2010, 10:07 AM

So I heard in a Jim Hall interview (the NPR one) he had mentioned a kid named Julian Lange. Then I did some research, and I found out he was the 12 year-old guitarist I saw ten years ago perfrom at the Grammys. I always wondered what hapenned to him. Now he just released his first record called "Sounding Point," which I picked up yesterday for dirt cheap. I am wondering if he is like a lot of other players that were exposed to jazz at a young age, became proficient and now sound somewhat too technical. Is this kid the real thing?

**Unit7** · 08-28-2010, 01:11 PM

I think Julian Lage is an incredibly refreshing player. He's got amazing amounts talent and really seems to have an idea of the direction he wants to go in. AND HE'S ONLY 22. Check out that take on Lil' Darlin it's really great. It'll be interesting to see where he goes from here.

jeffstocksmusic · 08-28-2010, 02:25 PM

which I picked up yesterday for dirt cheap. I am wondering if he is like a lot of other players that were exposed to jazz at a young age, became proficient and now sound somewhat too technical. Is this kid the real thing?

Since you have the disc, can't you give it a spin and come to a conclusion on your own? Odd.

Anyway...

He is astoundingly good, never overly technical (your bane, apparently?), amazingly original, an innovative composer, and an extremely kind and generous person. He has an open mind when it comes to influences and can play just about any style extremely well. He also gets a beautiful sound on his instrument..much brighter w/ more sparkle than the traditional dark-hued jazz tone.

The disc isn't new, btw. It came out last year (Spring '09, I believe). He also plays on both of Taylor Eigsti's discs, which are also extremely good.

**Reg** · 08-28-2010, 02:27 PM

I'll 2nd. that, I'm a SF native and have watched JL grow up. Bumped into him at different gigs,( don't know him). And any kid who can hang with Gary Burton has to have some talent. I really dig his acoustic playing, somewhat of the gypsy direction, even the bluegrass jazz stuff. Reg

**Jazzyteach65** · 08-29-2010, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by jeffstocksmusic

Since you have the disc, can't you give it a spin and come to a conclusion on your own? Odd.

Anyway...

He is astoundingly good, never overly technical (your bane, apparently?), amazingly original, an innovative composer, and an extremely kind and generous person. He has an open mind when it comes to influences and can play just about any style extremely well. He also gets a beautiful sound on his instrument..much brighter w/ more sparkle than the traditional dark-hued jazz tone.

The disc isn't new, btw. It came out last year (Spring '09, I believe). He also plays on both of Taylor Eigsti's discs, which are also extremely good.

Ok, I mistakened it for being new. I meant his newest, as solo work. He does get a beautiful tone from his guitar. The liner notes say he uses Sadowsky. Is it me, or is everyone playing Sadowsky these days? Is Sadowsky the new Gibson or something? He does have what I like: origional ideas. He doesn't play convetional bop stuff, he has his own vocab from working stuff out, it's obvious.

He sounds very humble and nice from the interview I read. If I had a son that was exposed to jazz guitar at 5 like him, I would want him to be just as humble and caring

**Jazzyteach65** · 08-29-2010, 10:21 AM

I also picked up Ali Farka Toure with Ry Cooder "Timbuktu." Amazing!

**ES125er** · 08-29-2010, 10:54 AM

I thought his main archtop (the one visible on most pictures and videos... and on the album cover) was built by Linda Manzer?

Edit: I just visit the Sadowsky website, and there is no Julian Lage to be found in their artist list. There is another young lion of jazz guitar, though: Lage Lund.

jeffstocksmusic · 08-29-2010, 11:56 AM

His main guitar is the Manzer which he has played for a decade. He also has a Martin acoustic, I believe a D-18 Golden Era (or Authentic..I forget the make). There is a featured article about him in a recent Fretboard Journal where they talk about how he managed to get that Manzer.

I have never heard of him playing a Sadowsky but anything is possible. I believe he uses a Twin for an amp.

I forgot about the two discs w/ Gary Burton. They are extremely good as well. The guy is absolutely astounding.

**Jazzyteach65** · 08-29-2010, 12:04 PM

In the back of the jacket, he gives special thanks for the support and love of Roger Sadowsky. If I am not mistaken, Roger Sadowsky is part of the Sadowsky family. I don;t see him giving credit to Manzer anywhere. The model on the cover looks a lot like a Sadosky Jimmy Bruno plays with, only his is cherry

**fep** · 08-29-2010, 12:11 PM

Big thumbs up to Julian... I think he's great.

jeffstocksmusic · 08-29-2010, 12:11 PM

He plays a Manzer as his main guitar and has for a decade.

Virtual Woodshed Julian Lage Interview

Russ Hanchin: I know you play a Manzer archtop and I’ve seen pictures of you with a Martin D-18. But it looks like the Manzer is your main axe?

Julian Lage: It is, yeah, for most of my life.

Russ Hanchin: Of all the guitars out there you could have gotten, how did you arrive at the Manzer?

Julian Lage: Actually, again I’m very lucky. I found her at a guitar show when I was eleven. The Healdsburg Guitar Festival, it’s a pretty renowned one actually. Linda [Manzer] comes and [Bob] Benedetto and all these builders. So I had known about her through Pat [Metheny] and she had this archtop there at the show and, oh my God, it was amazing, I fell in love with it. And she said, "yeah, it would be great if you played one". And at the end of the show, she went back to Canada, and a few weeks went by. So I thought, well let me just ask her what she would charge and how long is the waiting list, ’cause it was like four or five years at the time. So to my pleasant surprise, she said, "Oh, well the one you played, the Blue Note model, that one was actually used and I’m selling it right now!" The story is the woman who formerly owned was getting tendinitis and Linda was going to build her a whole new instrument. So we worked out a deal and I’ve had that guitar for the last ten years and it’s just incredible how it’s broken in. It has a five ply laminate top, maple-mahogany-maple-mahogany-maple, carved by Borys.

Julian Lage: Actually Linda built me another guitar as a backup and I used it and loved it, but I recently sold it to a friend who I think is putting it to good use. I mean it was an amazing instrument and a great backup, but I had become so used to my main Manzer that it was hard to play anything else.

Russ Hanchin: That’s amazing. And I don’t know about the Manzer, but with my Borys which also has a laminated top, it has a very good acoustic sound. So do you use flatwound strings?

Julian Lage: Actually I use roundwound for the electrics. I use Sadowsky roundwound super alloy.

**ES125er** · 08-29-2010, 12:18 PM

Julian Lage with his Manzer (he's also listed as a Manzer player on the luthier's website):

Lage Lund with his Sadowsky (from the Sadowsky website):

Oh well.

**ES125er** · 08-29-2010, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by jeffstocksmusic

Julian Lage: Actually I use roundwound for the electrics. I use Sadowsky roundwound super alloy.

I guess this could explain the confusion.

**paynow** · 08-29-2010, 01:45 PM

I'm embarrassed to admit that I never heard of this guy before reading this post. After visiting his website I'm glad for this post. He's outstanding.

**msr13** · 08-29-2010, 11:34 PM

Fretboard Journal did a very nice profile of Julian in

The Call | The Fretboard Journal: Reader-supported guitar magazine, interviews and instrument history

**David B** · 08-30-2010, 10:53 AM

Julian Lage is an amazing talent. I'm sure we'll hear even greater things from him in the years to come.

RE: Sadowsky: he does endorse their strings and I've seen one publicity photo of him holding a Sadowsky Semi-Hollow.

Sadowsky Guitars | Black Label Strings

**ES125er** · 08-30-2010, 11:27 AM

Thanks. I obviously missed this and feel silly now.

BTW, I like the idea of strings that would work well both acoustically and amplified. Anyone knows if these can be found in the UK?

**Sammo** · 08-31-2010, 05:13 AM

Julian Lage is great!!!

There is great Julian Lage feature in archieve of NPR's Piano Jazz w/Marian McPartland here:
Guitarist Julian Lage On Piano Jazz : NPR ... I've listened that countles times!!

As I searched link I found this (Julian Lage Group In Concert: Newport Jazz Festival 2010) :
Julian Lage Group In Concert: Newport Jazz Festival 2010 : NPR

**Jazzyteach65** · 08-31-2010, 03:17 PM

One thing he does is play with a lot of outside ideas, something I really dig. In fact, I came across this:
(listen to the end where he talks about the ii-V being straight-up tension from anywhere, then resolution at the I)

**paynow** · 08-31-2010, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Jazzyteach65

One thing he does is play with a lot of outside ideas, something I really dig. In fact, I came across this:
(listen to the end where he talks about the ii-V being straight-up tension from anywhere, then resolution at the I)

Thanks for posting that. A very interesting approach on those II-V subs. I agree with you on the outside aspect of his playing. The other thing is that he seems very relaxed, and not uptight about what he is doing. Such an important part of taking chances in jazz is not being tentative or worried.

Originally Posted by Sammo

Julian Lage is great!!!

There is great Julian Lage feature in archieve of NPR's Piano Jazz w/Marian McPartland here:
Guitarist Julian Lage On Piano Jazz : NPR ... I've listened that countles times!!

Thanks for this. Great article but for some reason, no more audio (it says "no longer available). I'll have to see if I can dig it up and post it.

jeffstocksmusic · 08-31-2010, 07:11 PM

I thought I had posted this link, but reading through..apparently not.

He has an Artistshare lesson around the tune Autumn Leaves. He runs through how he originally learned the tune, how he practiced it, and how he approaches is now. It is very well done and he does a good job of laying out how he approaches this type of standard harmony.

http://www.artistshare.com/projects/...&salesTypeID=6

**Jazzyteach65** · 08-31-2010, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by paynow

Thanks for posting that. A very interesting approach on those II-V subs. I agree with you on the outside aspect of his playing. The other thing is that he seems very relaxed, and not uptight about what he is doing. Such an important part of taking chances in jazz is not being tentative or worried.

Thanks for this. Great article but for some reason, no more audio (it says "no longer available). I'll have to see if I can dig it up and post it.

Exactly! When I heard him play that Gmaj7 over the G7 I thought "what a gutsy guy to be thinking substitutions in his head over other changes whithout worry. Wes used to do that. I am definately more interested in his harmonic approach!

**Jazzyteach65** · 08-31-2010, 09:39 PM

Forget about his technique, skill, artful use of moving triads and outside bluesy vocab (he does a KILLER "All Blues" with rock-esque lines I've never heard on his album) I'm most impressed by his maturity. He seems wise well beyond his years. Whomever his teachers were, his parents and all others that made sure he got proper musical training, education, life-skills ect, they did a great job, as well as of teaching his the step-by-step process, discipline and humility it takes ect. When I was 22, his age, I wasn't nearly as humble or mature, and I think most players aren't. I remember Bill Evans saying it wasn't until he was around 28 until he could finally form his own jazz vocab/conception. Wes didn't start until he was 19 (guitar at least) This kid's parents did the right thing by not letting him record for a label until he was 21

**Mixoman** · 09-10-2010, 11:03 AM

I have gotten to know Julian quite well over the past 6 months from taking lessons from him. All I can say is that he is possibly one nicest and most talented people I have ever met.

He is a true role model

Also about the Sadowsky connection, Julian and the Sadowsky family have a close personal relationship which could be one of the reasons that he holds Roger's products in such a high esteem.

**Sammo** · 10-01-2010, 07:26 AM

I found just this -- Julian playing solo guitar on radio/tv during Montreux Jazz Festival 2010. Pretty incredible (second half is his Etude #1 I think):