#jorge roeder

[bttrflyblu]

Julian Lage - Night Shade ft. John Medeski, Jorge Roeder, Kenny Wollesen

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Julian Lage feat. John Medeski, Kenny Wollesen and Jorge Roeder - “Night Shade”

“Night Shade” sounds exactly as a song called “Night Shade” should sound.

It’s languid and sleepy with Julian Lage’s electric guitar sharing the spotlight with John Medeski’s otherwise-sustaining organ. Separately and together, the alternating soloists waft over Kenny Wollesen’s brushed drums and Jorge Roeder’s tasteful double bass, which serves the song and never intrudes.

Building slowly over eight instrumental minutes, “Night Shade” is like a sympathetic alarm clock, gradually increasing in volume and intensity before falling back in to snooze mode in hopes the slumberer will awaken. What it will not do is put a listener to sleep, as this quartet fills the tone painting with subtle splashes that reveal themselves across multiple soothing listens.

“Night Shade” follows “Opal” and “Talking Drum” from the forthcoming Scenes from Above, which is credited to all four musicians and due Jan. 23.

Grade card: Julian Lage feat. John Medeski, Kenny Wollesen and Jorge Roeder - “Night Shade” - A

1/12/26

[tonyvwright]

Speak To Me - Julian Lage, guitar. John Medeski, Hammond B3. Jorge Roeder, bass. Kenny Wollesen, drums.

[jgthirlwell]

03.01.25 John Zorn has a Live Concert Series at Drawing Center to celebrate his drawing show there. New Masada Quartet played a blistering set with Zorn on sax, joined by Julian Lage (guitar), Jorge Roeder (bass) and Kenny Wollesen (drums)

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Julian Lage feat. John Medeski, Kenny Wollesen and Jorge Roeder - “Talking Drum”

No more a percussion track than it is a guitar track, “Talking Drum” will nevertheless have people talking about Julian Lage’s forthcoming album.

Surrounded by keyboardist John Medeski, bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Kenny Wollesen, guitarist Lage melds the swing of Vince Guaraldi with the groove of the 1990s Jerry Garcia Band on this five-minute instrumental that follows the antithetical “Opal” ahead of Scenes from Above, set for a Jan. 23, 2026, release.

Lage solos, of course. But his guitar is an equal parter with Medeski’s organ and the upfront rhythm section, who lay down sympathetic syncopation to allow the featured players to do their thing.

“Talking Drum” is adventurous enough to keep jazz purists interested while remaining cohesive enough to draw in folks from the fringes. This is Lage’s sweet spot and when his aim is as true as it is on this uptempo track, the guy is pretty much operating as one of one.

Grade card: Julian Lage feat. John Medeski, Kenny Wollesen and Jorge Roeder - “Talking Drum” - A

12/15/25

[jgthirlwell]

05.24.24 John Zorn’s ensemble, the New Masada Quartet, played at Roulette. Performing classic compositions from the Masada songbooks, NMQ is a tight unit of like-minded virtuosi and one of the best groups Zorn has ever had. Bristling hot guitar master Julian Lage, bass wizard Jorge Roeder and 30-year Zorn veteran Kenny Wollesen perform with a crackling live energy that brings the Masada music to life.

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Julian Lage - “Two and One” (Live, Jan. 20, 2024)

Julian Lage and band (t)eased their way into “Two and One,” repeatedly threatening to launch before pulling back.

This went on for some 80 seconds before the sauntering melody emerged Jan. 20 in San Francisco as documented on just-released professional video. Lage, on acoustic guitar, toggles between blues scales, classical ornamentation and jazzy improv as bassist Jorge Roeder, drummer Dave King and keyboardist Patrick Warren swing behind him.

He’s seated. But Lage is not sedate as he holds his axe perpendicular to the stage and frequently rises from his chair before handing off briefly to Roeder.

What begins with false starts concludes with false endings. And so, Lage and band threaten to cut off “Two and One” a few times before bringing the six-minute instrumental in for a smooth landing.

Grade card: Julian Lage - “Two and One” (Live - 1/20/24) - A

11/6/24

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Julian Lage - “The Layers”

Julian Lage makes his acoustic guitar sing beautifully on “The Layers.”

It’s the instrumental title track and lead single from Lage’s forthcoming (March 17) EP, which he calls “a companion … a prequel to (2022’s) View with a Room.”

The EP will include duos and - like this song - trios, with Lage and the rhythm section of Jorge Roeder and Dave King.

Bill Frisell is on this mini-album, too. And if “The Layers’” dreamy drifting is any indication, the Layers is going to be a soothing journey down a lazy, jazzy river of sound.

Grade card: Julian Lage - “The Layers” - A

2/3/23