And because this trio features him on a Fender Telecaster, the countrified side of his playing often shines through - not only on the cowpoke saunter of 'Atlantic Limited' but also on a medium-bright swinger like 'Look Book.' His musical persona draws from the expansive jazz continuum (ragtime to bebop and beyond) as well as rustic folk music and the blues. If that sounds like a distinctly American set of qualities, so be it: Lage is a distinctly American sort of artist. It's the strongest album of Lage's career so far, and the first that fully captures his trademark melding of fleet precision, open-road possibility and radiant self-assurance. But where that studio release carried an implicit agenda - establishing Lage's foothold as a bandleader, highlighting the catholicity of his tastes - this one feels loose and unburdened. This is the second such album, following Arclight in 2016. And you could argue that he's accessing ever deeper levels of artistry with his music, forging ahead while remaining true to himself.Įxhibit A for that argument would be his expressive, smartly focused album Modern Lore - a showcase for Lage's working trio, with Scott Colley on bass and Kenny Wollesen on drums. A guitarist who came up in the spotlight, first as a prodigy and then as an apprentice, he's now 30, a seasoned hand. Julian Lage is the sort of musician who makes every gesture feel both easeful and essential. However, you can still listen with the Spotify or Apple Music playlist at the bottom of the page. Note: NPR's First Listen audio comes down after the album is released.

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