Guitarist extraordinaire Julian Lage’s ‘Squint’ is the record of an established veteran composing, playing and leading on a high plane.

“Saint Rose” is the advance single from Julian Lage’s upcoming new release for Blue Note Records, ‘Squint.’

The upheaval seen in Washington and elsewhere since 2016 has amped up the political awareness of a lot of people, and Dave Douglas is no exception.

S. Victor Aaron picks the best of 2014’s modern and mainstream jazz albums, including Keith Jarrett, Brian Blade, Fred Hersch and others.

Just two elite guitar players having fun with their immense talents, and it’s hard not to share in that fun as listeners.

Fred Hersch has done plenty of duet albums and plenty of live albums, so perhaps it’s inevitable that the brilliant, reflective pianist would make a live, duet album with a guitarist. You May Also Like: No related posts.

Having turned seventy this year with an ample legacy stretching more than fifty years, Gary Burton could be excused if he kicked back and coasted by this time. No dice. You May Also Like: No related posts.

We saw our share of standout instrumentalists, from Julian Lage to Rudresh Mahanthappa to Pat Martino. But, as this lists attests, 2011 might rightly be called the Year of the Big Band. You May Also Like: Julian Lage – ‘Squint’ (2021)

This album is credited to Anthony Wilson and rightfully so, as this master guitarist/composer/arranger wrote the four-part “Seasons” suite and led a quartet of virtuosic plectrists to perform it before a live audience. You May Also Like: Anthony Wilson – ‘Collodion’ (2023) Jan Hammer – Seasons Pt. 1 (2018)

When taking in Julian Lage’s uniquely poetic Gladwell earlier this year, I sensed something uncommonly creative about Lage’s saxophone player, Dan Blake, and his ability to blend in flawlessly with a cello and play music that reconciled jazz and folk and classical music. He even contributed music that fit perfectlyRead More