Julian Lage new single: Omission

[Doctor Jeff]

Like Julian, Pat Metheny is a restless spirit who does what he wants to do at that moment in time. Take it or leave it. Most seem to take it, and gladly.Since 2020, Pat has released:

• From This Place - a very cinematic album, not your everyday jazz stuff
• Road To The Sun - classical guitar music composed by Pat, released under his name, but played by top classical players.
• Side-eye NYC - a fairly standard Metheny-esque live album
• Dream Box - a sparse, dreamy, mostly flat-top acoustic album

More power to Julian for following his muse. If I don’t like something he does, well… tough.

All of those are excellent. Road and Dream Box are nice, acoustic, Windham Hill-style releases. Nothing wrong with that. Great relaxation music.

From This Place though is a cut above. One of the best large-scale compositions by Pat or any jazz composer in years. The narrative arc of that work is impressive--it move from confusion to hope, and tells an important story which maybe only a midwesterner used to looking at broad vistas could tell.

Side-eye is my favorite Pat "conventional" album of recent years. He and his band are on fire. No resting on the laurels. If you think he's just tone and effects, this album will prove you wrong. Unfortunately I was not able to see him play with this band recently due to a prior commitment.

[wolflen]

Miles didnt like the term "jazz"... I agree with that..

I dont consider myself a "jazz" player..like many I learned many standards..and how to play over, in and out and under them..

Kind of Blue said.."sorry..this ain't jazz"

the mass market lables are not solid anymore..

lets see

McLaughlin
Monder
Scofield
Guthrie Govan
Tom Quayle
Frank Zappa
Metheny

this list can include hundreds of names

these players can do traditional diatonic harmonic standards all day long
and if that is all they played many would say they are "jazz" players

but when they step out of that framework..some feel they have been let down in some way
that the music they are playing isn't valid

rag's valid point of when Dylan went electric..and instant resentment toward him

so is the unwritten LAW..play music only this way..stay within the lines..or else

if so..how sad

[jameslovestal]

Miles didnt like the term "jazz"... I agree with that..

I dont consider myself a "jazz" player..like many I learned many standards..and how to play over, in and out and under them..

Kind of Blue said.."sorry..this ain't jazz"

the mass market lables are not solid anymore..

lets see

McLaughlin
Monder
Scofield
Guthrie Govan
Tom Quayle
Frank Zappa
Metheny

this list can include hundreds of names

these players can do traditional diatonic harmonic standards all day long
and if that is all they played many would say they are "jazz" players

but when they step out of that framework..some feel they have been let down in some way
that the music they are playing isn't valid

rag's valid point of when Dylan went electric..and instant resentment toward him

so is the unwritten LAW..play music only this way..stay within the lines..or else

if so..how sad

Zappa "can do traditional diatonic harmonic standards all day long"? Not when Joe Pass is around.

[Litterick]

these players can do traditional diatonic harmonic standards all day long
and if that is all they played many would say they are "jazz" players

but when they step out of that framework..some feel they have been let down in some way
that the music they are playing isn't valid

rag's valid point of when Dylan went electric..and instant resentment toward him

so is the unwritten LAW..play music only this way..stay within the lines..or else

if so..how sad

But traditional diatonic harmonic standards are not what they, or Lage, play. What we have here is not a straight-ahead jazz guitarist abandoning his oeuvre to play something strange; it is an innovative guitarist on the edges of jazz choosing to play something rather ordinary. His fans are not outraged. but disappointed. We expect more of him. When Dylan played electric guitar at Newport Folk, he was radical; this is more like Nirvana on MTV Unplugged.

[Doug B]

That's some real commercial shit. Going for the money or what?

Sounds like elevator music.

[Christian Miller]

Julian has been doing stuff like this for years. There’s a whole album of acoustic Americana he did with Chris Eldridge for example that came out a few years back.

This one didn’t rock my world, but it’s part of a vibe that’s been in Julian’s music for a long time.

[Gearhead]

I thought people who love jazz and jazz guitar related music were tolerant - boy was I wrong!

[Spook410]

I'm always interested in what Julian Lage chooses to play. Was surprised I didn't care for it much. I do have a fondness for flat top Americana from time to time. Just wasn't a lot going on in this particular piece.

[MrTriangle]

I thought people who love jazz and jazz guitar related music were tolerant - boy was I wrong!

It's not intolerance , it's disappointment . It's hard to believe that someone with his genuinely extraordinary talent and musicality can make such a boring record but hey ho , it's not the end of the world , we'll wait for his next one .

[James W]

I've seen Julian live and was really impressed, I really enjoyed it. But I don't own any of his albums - for me, his compositions are a bit lukewarm, they're not arresting or colourful, nor do they grab me by the throat so to speak - the single this thread is about is no exception to this - nice, but definitely nothing to write home about. However, I think when he plays live (and this was evident from seeing YouTube videos years before I went to see him) I feel his obvious brilliance and adventurousness really shine and turn those compositions into something else, often brilliant and epic. Has he released any live albums?

[ruger9]

I thought people who love jazz and jazz guitar related music were tolerant - boy was I wrong!

Oftentimes, quite the opposite. Every music genre has snobs.

[frabarmus]

It's not intolerance , it's disappointment . It's hard to believe that someone with his genuinely extraordinary talent and musicality can make such a boring record but hey ho , it's not the end of the world , we'll wait for his next one .

I would add that while some of us are disappointed, others might genuinely like it and others will say it's wonderful (whether they like it or not) just because it's "him"!

I don't mind, really... some albums (whoever the artist) have every track that's amazing, some just a few that are really good. Some albums have, maybe, just one track that makes it worth buying the album (I have bought quite a few albums because there was just one piece I really loved and found all the rest mediocre). And, of course, the best (or worse) piece for me might not be the best (or worse) piece for someone else...

[Doug B]

Maybe it is Blue Note. The producer is Joe Henry, who is a little bit country and a little bit rock'n'roll. Maybe Lage is moving into alt country.

Bro music alert!!!

[mr. beaumont]

I've seen Julian live and was really impressed, I really enjoyed it. But I don't own any of his albums - for me, his compositions are a bit lukewarm, they're not arresting or colourful, nor do they grab me by the throat so to speak - the single this thread is about is no exception to this - nice, but definitely nothing to write home about. However, I think when he plays live (and this was evident from seeing YouTube videos years before I went to see him) I feel his obvious brilliance and adventurousness really shine and turn those compositions into something else, often brilliant and epic. Has he released any live albums?

Not live, but I thought Gladwell was a very good record.

[James W]

Not live, but I thought Gladwell was a very good record.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[Dean_G]

Yah know, I thought I should listen again, be more open minded, give Omission another chance. Now I have to say I think Julian Lage is in his niche.
I think contrary to what I posted earlier he has found himself here. And the band as well. They're so good.
And the tune is so pretty. Not a mistep or wrong note anywhere! I believe even Dave King demonstrates amazing maturity here.
No more do we have to endure impulsive off the cuff quirks of the drummer, those creative outbursts.
No this is beautiful, pure complacency. These guys are good enough to be studio musicians! Like a contemporary
"Wrecking Crew", just think what they could do for someone like Taylor Swift!
I love it really I do and I apologize if my initial cynicism offended anyone. Progressive music like this is why I keep coming back to "JAZZGUITAR.be". Peace.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

So we can imagine him releasing different genres of music? Like an actor who alternates between appearing in commercial films and more interesting films? I can live with that.

I'm not criticising the sins of Omission (there, I said it!). Just hoping for better stuff, IMHO.

[ruger9]

So we can imagine him releasing different genres of music? Like an actor who alternates between appearing in commercial films and more interesting films? I can live with that.

I'm not criticising the sins of Omission (there, I said it!). Just hoping for stuff that *I* like better.

Fixed it for ya.

[Christian Miller]

I believe even Dave King demonstrates amazing maturity here.

OI, DAVE, GROW UP!!!

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Fixed it for ya.

Well look at you! You know what IMHO means!

[Christian Miller]

Being an interpreter of standards as a high level jazz player is is a bit more than the ability to cover on a background standards gig, which I believe Zappa, Guthrie have done in their lives. You realise the difference pretty quick as a player when you encounter someone a high level standards player in a playing or teaching situation….

But I do understand some are less interested in that side of jazz, and probably aren’t so interested in the difference, and mostly want to hear the composer/instrumentalist at work.

I do however understand it’s a Very Big Deal in NY and what separates top modern jazz players such as Adam Rogers, Mike Moreno, Ben Monder and so on from the more fusion and virtuoso instrumental rock players who have an understanding of jazz but don’t play lots of acoustic jazz gigs and know hundreds of standards. The NYC guys all seem to LIVE the tunes and the music. It’s to do with that community of musicians regardless of their own projects.

(I do get impression Julian knows a ton of tunes btw.)

Not a value judgement, i do think from the interviews he’s done Tom Quayle (who doesn’t often perform live) would be equally keen to make the distinction with regard to himself. He’s obviously a talented player and has carved out a niche for himself but he’s not a working jazz player.

I don’t think Zappa had much interest in the standards repertoire judging from his own words. Guthrie, no idea. From what I’ve heard his secret passion is more country than standards jazz.

[pauln]

Don't beginning guitarists play anything and everything out of intellectual curiosity? When they come to play with others don't they play in all kinds of different bands playing all kinds of music?

Of the dozens of bands, one was two bass players (one low, one high playing "girl bass"), a trumpet, a drummer without cymbals, and me on guitar.

Another was a band that specialized in parties for space program interns (from all over the world); we played all the quirky one hit wonder songs from the K-tel records TV commercials of the 1970s.

Once someone becomes a brand, I imagine their contracts may prevent them from playing certain kinds of music or even revealing the various kinds of music they have played, to protect their marketing category assignment.

[wolflen]

Don't beginning guitarists play anything and everything out of intellectual curiosity? When they come to play with others don't they play in all kinds of different bands playing all kinds of music?

Not only "beginning guitarists"..but the "musicians" do also..when a new "style" surfaces..it gets digested as fast as it can


Another was a band that specialized in parties for space program interns (from all over the world); we played all the quirky one hit wonder songs from the K-tel records TV commercials of the 1970s.

Space interns..ahh..now there is the opening to play experimental space music

[Dean_G]

Don't beginning guitarists play anything and everything out of intellectual curiosity? When they come to play with others don't they play in all kinds of different bands playing all kinds of music?.

Not so sure about that. But anyway what's your point ?

[pingu]

1298997[/URL]]I thought people who love jazz and jazz guitar related music were tolerant - boy was I wrong!

har !
Whatever made you think that ?