Widely considered one of the most prodigious guitar players of his time, Julian Lage does not disappoint on his latest album, Squint.
Squint is Lage’s first studio album for Blue Note Records and his first album since the pandemic shut down the world, making it a compelling and emotionally charged listening experience. The 11-track album is a 45-minute love song to jazz and Lage’s musical influences, offering nine original songs and two new covers (including Johnny Mandel's “Emily”).
Accompanying Lage are bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King—a duo whose musical chemistry gels perfectly with Lage’s, making them a jazz dream team.
The album opens with “Etude,” a mellow song which includes the scales and simplicity that the title suggests and eases listeners into the musical and emotional journey of the album. The song is followed by the warm, bluesy “Boo’s Blues,” which sets the tone for the experimental, improvisational album that pulls influence across the genre of jazz and fits it into the free jazz style. Other notable tracks on the album include the beachy, nostalgic ode to Lage’s home town, Santa Rosa, in “Saint Rose,” and the titular “Squint,” which features a bass solo and allows the trio to celebrate their chemistry while having fun and improvising along the way.
While Squint is musically interesting and showcases the trio’s mastery of jazz, the album’s free jazz stylings may be difficult for the casual listener to fall in love with. Anyone new to jazz or Lage’s music may find that the album falls flat—especially if they’re listening to all 45 minutes in one go. But don’t be so quick to write off the album, yet; Lage’s music is best listened to live, because it allows the listener to experience the trio’s chemistry and mastery of their instruments firsthand.
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