# Guitarist Julian Lage: ridiculously musical; musically ridiculous **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 25, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910 "2016-08-25T14:53:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/1 "2016-08-25T14:53:30Z")
You want to hear the joy of music, dazzlingly played? Check out these two solo etudes by Julian Lage, whom I post about pretty regularly because we all need to touch brilliance every now and then. Guitar Etude No. 1 - maybe 2 1/2 minutes. Very “Etude” sounding, i.e. kinda old-school Bach-y. It’s wild that, while he does fingerpick, he’s executing criss-crossing melodic lines with just a flatpick. Just amazing mechanics. I wish I knew why I love this sonic landscape of rapid-fire notes, while I find most shredding to be just typing. When he gets so deep into the music, and his eyes roll up a bit into his head, you know this is just direct-channel wiring. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SdedBrenPsk/hqdefault.jpg "Guitar Etude #1 by Julian Lage") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdedBrenPsk) Guitar Etude No. 3 - maybe 4 minutes. Holy shit. One of the best solo pieces I have ever seen. Nothing old-school about it - starts off with a quasi-Brazilian feel, but then he adds an off-time low-string melodic line. It sounds weird and fun as you wrap your brain around it, in a Take Five-y sorta way, but the technical execution just boggles. And the piece evolves from there, incorporating all sorts of master-class techniques, harmonic constructions and overall musicality. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YTe-_8SZJ6Y/hqdefault.jpg "Etude #3 by Julian Lage") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTe-_8SZJ6Y) Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/2 "2016-08-25T15:05:10Z")
I heard him play [“Day and Age”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p17M2bK5u6Q) earlier this year on NPR and was blown away. As you said, the musicality is stunning. ---
**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/3 "2016-08-25T16:28:01Z")
That’s just world class. Some players are technical and some players are musical, but this guy is both in a way you hardly ever see. Even though his taste in music and mine don’t overlap very much, I’d gladly sleep under a bridge to have his talent. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/4 "2016-11-04T17:15:06Z")
Check this out: [Julian Lage - "Persian Rug" (Live In Los Angeles) - YouTube](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1r6WSUlvQ20) Lage, bassist and drummer playing straight-up small combo jazz and just so damn good. Julian got an original Blackguard Tele, i.e., a first-gen, early 50’s Fender Telecaster. Doesn’t get any more elemental, solidbody-wise. Listen to him with the Tone rolled off, delivering jazz with glimpses of overdrive that only a Tele can deliver. Man oh man. ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/5 "2016-11-04T21:27:39Z")
Saw this with Jorge Roeder instead of Colley. Lage played and sounded very differently than other times I’ve seen him. That Tele gave the whole thing a rock-y feel, which Julian’s playing promoted. Reminded me a bit of Larry Coryell back in his Twelfth House days. He is on a musical journey… ever evolving. It’s cool. Love love love Kenny Wollesen. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/6 "2016-11-04T21:47:42Z")
I hope this isn’t a hijack. If it is, just ignore me. I think y’all would also like Tommy Emmanuel. I saw him in person a few years ago and have seen him on TV since. He is fabulous. Some samples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPkQn5nDTZs ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/7 "2016-11-04T21:50:00Z")
Not a hijack at all; I’ve posted Tommy E’s stuff here before. Brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/8 "2016-11-04T22:40:30Z")
How about Mike Dawes? IMNSHO, a great successor to the late Michael Hedges. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-zOEjgIsCY ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/9 "2016-11-04T22:41:05Z")
[quote=“ThelmaLou, post:6, topic:763910”] I hope this isn’t a hijack. If it is, just ignore me. I think y’all would also like Tommy Emmanuel. I saw him in person a few years ago and have seen him on TV since. He is fabulous. Some samples: [/QUOTE] By the way, Tommy’s selling a bunch of guitars: [https://reverb.com/news/reverb-artist-shop-preview-tommy-emmanuel](https://reverb.com/news/reverb-artist-shop-preview-tommy-emmanuel) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/10 "2016-11-05T00:57:36Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > How about Mike Dawes? IMNSHO, a great successor to the late Michael Hedges. > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-zOEjgIsCY I’ve heard of him. One of the more musical of the poppy-slappy players on the Candyrat record label. Fun to watch. Not as…harmonically rich as Hedges? He was just transcendent. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/11 "2016-11-05T11:42:27Z")
[quote=“ThelmaLou, post:6, topic:763910”] I hope this isn’t a hijack. If it is, just ignore me. I think y’all would also like Tommy Emmanuel. I saw him in person a few years ago and have seen him on TV since. He is fabulous. Some samples: [/QUOTE] By the way, not sure if non-players care about this stuff, but Tommy Emmanuel is famously a **CGP** , a Certified Guitar Player. Chet Atkins, supremely talented and arrogant about his talent, bequeathed this designation to a small handful of players. It is still held in very high regard as a designation - players like Mark Knopfler, Vince Gill, Brian Setzer, etc. are held up as the CGPs of today. I haven’t heard it discussed about Julian Lage, but he would qualify easily 😉 Tommy’s legacy of being named a CGP by Atkins is the equivalent of a mic drop to us guitarists. If Chet said Tommy was a CGP, who the heck are we mere mortals to question that?! 😉😉 ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/12 "2016-11-07T17:32:10Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Check this out: [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1r6WSUlvQ20](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1r6WSUlvQ20) > > Lage, bassist and drummer playing straight-up small combo jazz and just so damn good. Julian got an original Blackguard Tele, i.e., a first-gen, early 50’s Fender Telecaster. Doesn’t get any more elemental, solidbody-wise. Listen to him with the Tone rolled off, delivering jazz with glimpses of overdrive that only a Tele can deliver. > > Man oh man. That is incredible! I cannot wrap my head around being able to play that well. Not only the physical aspects of it but the mental agility required. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/13 "2016-11-07T17:51:37Z")
Thanks for tuning me in to this kid. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2016, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/14 "2016-11-07T17:59:18Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > Thanks for tuning me in to this kid. Here he is at **8 years old** (!!!): Jules at Eight - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7FY65rd03I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7FY65rd03I) ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2016, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/15 "2016-11-07T20:10:51Z")
Dude is awesome, thanks for the links. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/16 "2017-02-26T12:33:25Z")
Review of their new album, Mount Royal: [Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge and Their New Record, “Mount Royal” | The New Yorker](http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/julian-lage-and-chris-eldridge-and-their-new-record-mount-royal) The word is getting out. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-julian-lage-ridiculously-musical-musically-ridiculous/763910/17 "2017-02-26T17:03:12Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Review of their new album, Mount Royal: [Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge and Their New Record, “Mount Royal” | The New Yorker](http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/julian-lage-and-chris-eldridge-and-their-new-record-mount-royal) > > The word is getting out. Thanks for the heads-up. I don’t know why Apple Music won’t tell me of these things