While Julian Lage continues his restless guitar quest as he guests with artists ranging from Nels Cline to Fred Hersch, he steps back into his most comfortable mode here, that of a trio. With Scott Colley/b and Kenny Wollesen/dr, he reflects many colors on the guitar prism for an album of many rich hues.
All of the songs are fairly concise, letting each piece stand as a novella of its own. He rocks on the funky “Prospero” while showing wide open spaces for Wollesen’s percussion on “Stop Go Start.” His strings chime with Colley oh “Harlem Blues” and the team slithers on “Fortune Teller.” His strength, though is patient lyricism, and he uses it well on the nimble swing of “Persian Rug” or the glistening read of “I’ll Be Seeing You.” Lage never disappoints, no matter the setting, and this one is a Whitman’s Sampler of bon mots.
Mack Avenue Records