Julian Lage at Cadogan Hall

Lauded as one of the finest guitarists alive today, Julian Lage performed at the Grammys at 12 years old before graduating from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in 2008. Learning from elder jazz innovators like Jim Hall and Gary Burton further placed Lage in a renowned musical pedigree. His 2024 project Speak to Me brings an avant-garde twist to blues and Americana, never relegating itself to a particular niche. No doubt his formative experiences with some of the greats have put him in good stead to push the genre forward with every new project. It is left to him and an acoustic guitar to put this on full display tonight.

Having already toured the USA, Europe and Japan this year, Lage might be forgiven a level of exhaustion. Despite his hefty touring schedule, he performs with a generous amount of vigour and playfulness. A master improviser, Lage opens with a lengthy section that flits over classical stylings with a tinge of the blues. Other anachronistic pairings are presented before settling into Gardens from 2015’s World’s Fair. Typical of Lage is his ability to expand indulgently on the fly, leading us down an apparently bottomless rabbit hole before returning to the main theme. 

A cover of Spike Hughes’s Nocturne from 1933 follows. This reference point is useful to hear how Lage takes core ideas as a jumping-off point to launch his improvised musings. It is done with the utmost respect to the source material, carefully returning to the original melody to avoid altering it beyond recognition. Another salute to one of Lage’s heroes, Blue Dove is based on Jim Hall’s reworking of a Mexican folk song. The arrangement fits very well on the acoustic guitar – Lage uses the full range of his instrument to pluck sharp twangs that smooth out into lighter passages that flutter along the guitar’s neck. 

Northern Shuffle appears on the album Speak to Me as a driving, bluesy number played on distorted electric guitar. Without a steady drum beat pounding along in the background, Lage wilfully plays with the audience’s expectations. Sometimes he slows almost to a stop, only to launch back into the pulse he has been tapping on his foot the entire time. These moments may disorientate, but the joy that Lage emits in these moments gives the sense that we’re being included in his own private jam session – who are we to judge?

Perhaps it is expected of a generational talent that they can wield a single instrument with such variety and detail. The standing ovation he receives indicates that Lage can account even for that daunting reputation.

Ben Browning
Photos: Mike Garnell

For further information and future events visit Julian Lage’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Nocturne here: