10 minute read
Preview: Guitarist Julian Lage brings his trio to the Southern.
Wednesday 12/8
music
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Berto and Matt Wyatt. A bi-weekly rendition of Latin guitar night. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. the bebedero.com. Dar Williams. The singer-songwriter fuses many genres in her music. $34-37, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com. Hard Swimmin’ Fish. A rootsy-bluesy performance from Demian Lewis and Waverly Milor, with special guests Dan Barrale and Steve Riggs. Free, 6:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskey jarcville.com. Music in the Atrium. Weekly live performance with Jim Richardson on vocals and guitar. Free, noon. The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org. Robert Earl Keen’s Christmas Show. An irreverent celebration of the holidays. $35-40, 7pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com.
dance
Bachata Fusion Class. Edwin Roa teaches a fun beginner-to-intermediate-level bachata lesson to get the party started. $6-8, 7pm. IX Art Park, 522 Second St SE. ixartpark.org. Square Dancing. Enjoy a night of square dancing. All levels are welcome. Free,12:30pm. The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org.
etc.
Daily Tours of Indigenous Australian Art.
A 20-minute introduction to Indigenous Australian art. Free, 10:30am. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org.
Thursday 12/9
music
Berto Sales and Vincent Zorn. A night of wild gypsy rumba and Latin guitar. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com. Eli Cook. Enjoy live music and wine. Free, 4pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com. Julian Lage. The virtuoso guitarist uses impeccable technique, free association, and a spirit of infinite possibility in his performances. $20-80, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com. Music in the Atrium. A weekly performance from Jazz 1-2-3. Free, noon. The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecenter cville.org.
dance
International Folk Dance. Learn a dance or two, or just watch and listen to the music. Free, 2:30pm. The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org.
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Artists in Conversation: Meesha Goldberg
and Kori Price. Join Second Street Gallery for a virtual artist talk. Free, 6pm. Online. secondstreetgallery.org.
classes
Wine & Design: Wreathmaking with The
Dogwood Tree Florist. Learn how to make a holiday wreath and enjoy a glass of wine of your choice. $45, 6pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwood farmandwinery.com.
Extended play
Guitarist Julian Lage looks to perfect the jazz trio on new release
By Dave Cantor
arts@c-ville.com
The opening track of Julian Lage’s first Blue Note album is titled “Etude”—a nod, perhaps, to the lifetime he’s spent studying his instrument.
The guitarist, who came to national attention in a short 1996 documentary focused on his prodigious talents called Jules at Eight, has been recording as a bandleader for just over a decade. And while he’s covered a lot of territory—moving from larger ensembles to trios and working alongside jazz luminaries like Gary Burton and Nels Cline—Squint marks Lage’s ascent to a legendary imprint. It’s a label aiming to find a new generation of players to help forge a path ahead for jazz, recently releasing albums by drummer/producer Makaya McCraven and vibraphonist Joel Ross, among others.
“My obsession with Blue Note, its artistic integrity, releasing progressive music rooted in African-American traditions, improvisational traditions—[it’s] just a label that does amazing stuff and supports artists as they evolve,” Lage says over the phone from New York, while packing to embark on a handful of European dates after Thursday’s gig at the Southern in Charlottesville. “There’s one way of looking at it for me, which is that I’m being included on a train that’s been moving forward for 80 years.”
Squint continues a compositional refinement that began following the guitarist’s first release, 2009’s Sounding Point, and narrowed in focus as Lage grew interested in improvisation and writing more for himself, as opposed to his ensemble. With the trio here—bassist Jorge Roeder and Bad Plus drummer Dave King—the guitarist enjoys the drive of a power trio with the adaptability of a small jazz combo.
“I definitely like that it’s a precarious orchestration,” Lage says about his current ensemble. “There’s a lot that’s not in there. A lot of it’s implied—by the listener, by us. There’s a lineage of the guitar trio, in jazz at least, being a metric for a player’s creative output. Same with piano trios and saxophone trios.”
If Squint is intended as proof of Lage’s expanding compositional acumen, there are more than a few moments that spotlight his unique voice. “Boo’s Blues,” the album’s second track, comes off like a cowboy-indebted jazz tune. There’s the swing of Sonny Rollins’ “Way Out West” (a 1957 trio effort), but an overwhelming affinity for blues propels the track, King sitting back in the pocket. The following title track functions much the same way, though Lage takes a more aggressive approach.
“There’s a comfort in the way the guitar sits on the record that I’ve been pursuing,” the bandleader says. “And I think we kind of found a nice balance, largely because Squint is such a jazz record—from my perception—a jazz record, a swing record, a Blue Note record.”
A few noisier tunes crop up, though. The finer moments of “Familiar Flower” spring from the overdrive Lage bathes his guitar in, and the soloing on “Day and Age” might find a suitable home on a rock album. But nothing here places Squint outside of Blue Note’s purview, especially considering the release of 2018’s rock-indebted Currents, Constellations, helmed by Cline, with contributions from Lage.
Some of Lage’s more radical inclinations—at least when examined through the historic lens of the jazz genre—were ratified by working with Cline in a variety of contexts. The older guitarist’s own discography spans membership in Wilco and detours through jazz, rock, and experimental worlds.
“Nels was at the intersection of the avant-garde and songs—and so much more. Absolutely, my friendship with him has encouraged me and made me feel that I don’t have to pick sides. You can do what you like—and that’s hugely helpful,” Lage says. “The number of records Nels has
JULIAN LAGE
made—his trio and the Nels Cline Singers. Talk about guitar trios? He has such a broad and brilliant catalog. And we play very differently, but I think we played in a complementary way.”
Even with that expansive vision as a guide, a handful of songs on Squint seem to accidentally hone in on Lage’s past: “Saint Rose,” “Twilight Surfer” and an interpretation of “Call of the Canyon” appear tied more to Lage’s childhood on the West Coast than New York clubs.
Julian Lage
The Southern Café & Music Hall
December 9
“‘Saint Rose’ is a deliberate tribute to Santa Rosa and the region—the fires,” Lage says, while disavowing any concerted effort to focus other tunes on remembrances of his California youth. “But there is a spirit of—what would you call it? Early electric guitar, surf guitar, Hawaiian slide guitar...things that have grown out of California—they’ve always been important to me. They might be so embedded in me that it just comes out in the music.”
Enthused about the path he’s forging in the jazz world, Lage recognizes that a wealth of possibilities await—especially after the pandemic. He admirably expresses that disposition across the 11 tunes on Squint.
“You don’t have to look far with music to feel hopeful,” the band leader says. “I was in a privileged position to make music that was almost like a prayer, rather than an exhibition of what I can do.”
ALYSSE GAFKJEN
c-ville.com
December 8 – 14, 2021 PVCC is for YOU!
EARN YOUR ASSOCIATE DEGREE •
GAIN WORKFORCE CREDENTIALS •
PREPARE TO TRANSFER TO A FOUR-YEAR SCHOOL
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23
Thursday 12/9
etc.
Arts Underground. Art making, drinks, and karaoke inside The Looking Glass. $25, 7pm. IX Art Park, 522 Second St. SE. ixartpark.org.
Daily Tours of Indigenous Australian Art.
See listing for Wednesday, December 8. Free, 10:30am. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org.
Friday 12/10
music
Anthony Semiao. Kick back with a glass of wine and listen to live music at the indoor tasting room. Free, 4pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwood farmandwinery.com. Bully with Graham Hunt Band. Bully’s latest release, SUGAREGG, roars from the speakers and jumpstarts both heart and mind. $18-20, 8:30pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com.
Robin and Linda Williams: Home for the
Holidays. Come home for the holidays with Staunton’s folk superstars for this one-night event. $25-35, 6pm. The Blackburn Inn and Conference Center, 301 Greenville Ave., Staunton. blackburn-inn.com. The Blowbirds. Local harmonica masters Gary Green and John Whitlow with an all-star cast. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshouse winery.com. Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno. Old-soul roots music with fresh, iconic melodies and the tightly wound vocal harmonies of indie folk. $18, 8pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.org.
stage
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.
The beloved American holiday classic comes to life as a live 1940s radio broadcast, complete with foley artists. $10-18, 8pm. Four County Players, Barboursville Community Center, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org.
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CreativeMornings Charlottesville Break-
fast Lecture Series. A free, monthly lecture for the creative community led by local hosts Kori Price, Emma Terry, and Maureen Brondyke. Free, 8:30am. Online. creative mornings.com/cities/cvl.
classes
Yoga in the Orchard with Joanna Hughes.
Let the serenity of the mountain air and the peace of the orchard views revitalize your body and prepare you for the day. Free, 9:45am. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com.
outside
Let There Be Light. PVCC’s 15th annual outdoor exhibition of light-centered artworks returns, this year featuring two separate events in two nights of creative illumination. Free, 6pm. Piedmont Virginia Community College, V. Earl Dickinson Building, 501 College Dr. pvcc.edu.
etc.
Daily Tours of Indigenous Australian Art.
See listing for Wednesday, December 8. Free, 10:30am. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org.
Paramount Presents: National Theatre
Live in HD— Follies. Featuring a cast of 37 and an orchestra of 21, Stephen Sondheim’s legendary musical was directed by Dominic Cooke and filmed live on stage at the National Theatre in 2017. $11-15, 5pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net.
Saturday 12/11
music
Berto and Vincent. Enjoy brunch with some lively Latin guitar. Free, 11am. Tavern & Grocery, 333 W. Main St. tavernandgrocery.com. Dan Tyminski Band. Bluegrass with skillful instrumentals and soulful tenor. $33-55, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com. Cville Band Sax Quartet. Free music as part of the December Downtown Outdoor Concert Series on Saturdays. Free, 2pm. The Bricks at Third and Main Street, Downtown Mall. thebridgepai.org.
Shepherd’s Star: Music for Twelfth Night.
Seasonal music joyfully marking the 10th anniversary of the founding of Three Notch’d Road: The Virginia Baroque Ensemble. $1025, 7:30pm. Grace Episcopal Church, 5607 Gordonsville Rd., Keswick. tnrbaroque.org.
Virginia Glee Club’s 81st Annual Christ-
mas Concert. Ring in the holiday season with a cherished tradition. $5-20, 8pm. University Baptist Church, 1223 W. Main St., Room G17. virginiagleeclub.org.
Zack Mexico with New Boss and Piranha
Rama. Ferocious psychedelic pop-indie rock. $10, 8:30pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jefferson theater.com.
stage
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. See listing for Friday, December 10. $10-18, 8pm. Four County Players, Barboursville Community Center, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org.
outside
Let There Be Light. See listing for Friday, December 10. Free, 6pm. Piedmont Virginia Community College, V. Earl Dickinson Building, 501 College Dr. pvcc.edu.
etc.
After Hours at Highland. Experience Highland after hours through a personally guided tour with James Monroe reenactor Beau Robbins. $25, 4:30pm. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org.
Daily Tours of Indigenous Australian Art.
See listing for Wednesday, December 8. Free, 10:30am. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org. Indie Short Film Series. Award-winning short films followed by a filmmaker’s panel discussion. $17, 7pm. Vinegar Hill Theatre, 220 W. Market St. lighthousestudio.org.
Paramount at the Movies Presents: The
Best Man Holiday. A feel-good comedy. $8, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net.
Paramount at the Movies Presents:
White Christmas. See the holiday favorite on the big screen. $5-8, 2pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net.
Gallery Rally: “The Third Mind” Edition.
Local artists collaborate in pairs to create artwork live in the gallery. Free, 11am. Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St SE. second streetgallery.org. WinterSong. An evening of live music, warm drinks, fires to sit beside, and holiday shopping. Free, 4pm. Rivanna River Company, 1538 E. High St. frontporchcville.org.
