The guitarist, composer, and SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director brings a decidedly individual approach to everything he touches, including our Drop the Needle series, for which he comments on a series of video clips of master guitarists rather than vinyl records. His reactions illuminate each artist’s place in the rich history of the instrument and his personal connection to them, showing him to be the eternal student and fan.

Transcending his prodigious beginnings — which include being the subject of the Oscar-nominated documentary film Jules at Eight, a GRAMMY Awards performance at 13, and faculty status at the Stanford Jazz Workshop at 15 – Santa Rosa-born guitarist Julian Lage has emerged as a stunningly accomplished creative force in modern music. He demonstrated deep maturity and intellectual acuity from the start, joining vibraphone innovator Gary Burton’s star-making quartet in 2004 at age 16. Lage’s trajectory has been linear since then, embracing jazz, pop, country, bluegrass, and acoustic folk with boundless enthusiasm and undeniable command. He has recorded 15 albums as a leader and lent his singular virtuosity to work with Charles Lloyd, Eric Harland, John Zorn, Terri Lyne Carrington, Fred Hersch, Kris Davis, and Nels Cline, among others.

Guitarists featured (all filmed at SFJAZZ unless otherwise noted):

1. Carlos Santana
2. John Scofield
3. Bill Frisell
4. Nels Cline
5. Sheryl Bailey
6. Jimmy Bryant & Speedy West (video from the early 1950s)
7. Egberto Gismonti
8. Pat Metheny