Concept albums have been a staple of rock music for decades, going all the way back to iconic albums like Sgt. Pepper’s and Tommy. While jazz musicians have also attempted to build recordings around a central theme, it is a much more difficult proposition when dealing with instrumental music because there are no words to tell a story. This challenge has not deterred guitarist Julian Lage, whose latest album, Gladwell, is the named after a fictional town`around which the songs are based.
“The thought was this place existed and it’s super ambiguous, it could be a hundred years ago or it could be a thousand years ago, and it’s really long forgotten” said Lage, who will be leading a band tonight at Blues Alley. “The only way you could explain this town was musicially — you couldn’t really put words around it — but you could show them the songs that would represent the different areas of the town and where things happened.”
The different facets of Gladwell that Lage tries to represent include the places where people live, its sacred centers, parts of town where people get into fights and even the town gatekeeper. This simple story came out of the fact that Lage tends to have a very visual instinct in his music making.
“I always imagine scenes in movies when I hear certain songs. For me, it’s very much like dream sequences,” Lage explained. “I think this particular storyline is derived from things I’ve read about, things I’ve seen in movies, things I’ve seen on TV.”
Gladwell, the follow-up to Sounding Point, Lage’s Grammy-nominated 2009 debut, would certainly be an ambitious project for any musician. What makes Lage’s effort all the more impressive is the fact that he is just 23. While the recording features a quintet that includes a saxophonist and cellist, the group playing tonight will be a trio comprised of Lage, percussionist Tupac Mantilla and bassist Jorge Roeder. The band will perform songs from Gladwell, new material written specifically for the trio, as well as duo and solo guitar performances.
“Essentially, we’re going into unknown territories for ourselves even, and if I were watching our band, I would want to feel included in that process,” Lage said of playing with this group.
Lage creates an inviting environment for the audience by giving the listener a hook into the creative process, whether it be through a memorable melody or a strong rhythmic foundation. His music achieves all of this without sacrificing in-the-moment interaction and improvisation. This combination of technique, ambition and accessibility lies behind the buzz that has been surrounding Lage since his days as a prodigy who played with legendary vibraphonist Gary Burton as a teenager. While the amount of attention directed towards Lage has increased a great deal over the past couple of years, he maintains a healthy attitude toward his success.
“I’m used to music being such a part of my life that it’s actually really comforting when other people start getting interested,” Lage said. “It’s like, ‘Yeah, man!’ This is what I’ve been talking about and this is all I think about.”
The Julian Lage Trio will perform 8 and 10 p.m. sets tonight at Blues Alley. Tickets are $20 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge.
