Berklee Today: Julian Lage '08

Julian Lage '08 strives to keep his music as relevant as possible.

Mary Hurley

June 4, 2009

When he was five years old, artist Julian Lage first picked up the guitar. Three years later, he was playing with Carlos Santana. By the time he was 13, he was performing "A Night in Tunisia" with Gary Burton '62 and Herbie Hancock.

The child prodigy from Santa Rosa, CA, who is a composer and arranger as well as a top-flight jazz player, has grown up. Lage, 21, released his first solo record, Sounding Point, in March to positive reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. "Julian Lage is a big talent blossoming," said the Guardian of London, praising his "agility, glowing tone and originality of phrasing."