The Hope College Great Performance Series will feature the Grammy-nominated Julian Lage Trio on Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel.
Led by guitarist Julian Lage, the jazz trio plays original music as well as standards of the American jazz and folk traditions. The trio includes Kenny Wollesen on drums and Olando Le Fleming on acoustic bass.
In its review of the trio’s current tour, “The New York Times” said, “There’s a disarming spirit of generosity in the musicianship of Julian Lage… A guitarist with roots tangled up in jazz, folk, classical and country music, he has spent most of his life bathed in a bright, expectant light.”
Lage boasts more than 20 years in the music business, although he is not yet 30 years old himself. A child prodigy on the guitar, he was the subject of an Academy-award nominated documentary, “Jules at 8”; played live with Carlos Santana at age 12; performed on the Grammy award show at age 13; and at 15 was on faculty at the Standford Jazz Workshop. Not settling with his early success, Lage received classical training at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 2008.
While exploring guitar duos and still playing conventional jazz configurations, Lage become a bandleader, and his first recording, “Sounding Point,” garnered a 2010 Grammy nomination as Best Contemporary Jazz Album. Two others, “Gladwell,” a concept album, and a new solo album, “World’s Fair,” have followed, both to critical acclaim.
Among others Lage has collaborated with Jim Hall, Mark O’Connor, Nels Cline, Chris Eldridge, Bela Fleck, and Fred Hersch. In addition, he also performs with his own quintet and has recorded with Gary Burton, David Grisman, Eric Harland, Anthony Wilson, Martin Taylor, Joshua Bell and Yoko Ono.
Tickets are $18 for regular admission, $13 for senior citizens, $6 for children 18 and under, and free for Hope College students. Tickets are available online at hope.edu/tickets as well as at the ticket office in the Events and Conferences Office located downtown in the Anderson-Werkman Financial Center (100 E. Eighth St.). The ticket office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be called at (616) 395-7890.
More information about the season may be obtained online.
Dimnent Memorial Chapel is located at 277 College Ave., at the corner of College Avenue and 12th Street.