Julian Lage

In the organizer's words:

Julian Lage is coming to Berlin together with John Medeski (keys), Jorge Roeder (bass), Kenny Wollesen (drums) and his new album Scenes from Above.

While the previous album Speak to Me from 2024 was Julian Lage's statement as an improvising bandleader leading a relatively large ensemble through a diverse series of pieces, he now presents himself as a simple band member and has recorded Scenes from Above with a quartet. The nine tracks deliver an open and organic sound born of community: no drowning out solos, but four musicians talking to each other without drowning each other out, giving and taking space in equal measure as they explore the songs in real time - a sound that tangibly emerges from the collaborative process.

Julian Lage's outstanding qualities once again come to the fore in an almost playful way: an architect of sound who moves like a somnambulist through the countless currents of music history from jazz, pop, country, bluegrass, acoustic folk and rock. Acoustic and electric guitars, subtle melodies and complex textures combine to create a transparent, deep and yet easily accessible sound. Sometimes delicate and atmospheric (Opal), sometimes pulsating and playful (Talking Drum), sometimes emotional and wide-open (Something More).

Although not even 40 years old, Julian Lage has already been an internationally acclaimed guitar virtuoso for three decades. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, he began performing in public at the age of six and two years later was playing with Carlos Santana, among others. A documentary was even made about him, "Jules at Eight", and he gave his first jazz workshop at Stanford University at the age of 15. The musician, who now lives in New York, can look back on a long career characterized by collaborations with Gary Burton, John Zorn and duo projects with Nels Cline, Chris Eldridge and Fred Hersch, among others.

What makes Julian Lage and concerts with him so special: he has an extensive harmonic vocabulary, flawless dexterity and an incredible ability for free association and improvisation and sounds as authentic and genuine as if he were playing a spontaneous concert in the bar around the corner.