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Taylor Eigsti/Julian Lage Group Taylor Eigsti To find out more about Taylor, go to tayjazz.com Julian Lage
To find out more about Julian, go to julianlage.com |
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Stanford
Jazz Workshop / P.O. Box 20454 Stanford, CA 94309 / Tel: 650.736.0324 / info@stanfordjazz.org
Web
site: Grow
Design / Photography: Scott
Chernis, Mars
Breslow, SJW Staff
The
past year has been an exciting one for Taylor Eigsti. Building on
the momentum of releasing one of the most successful jazz records
to come out last year, “Lucky to Be Me” (Concord), Eigsti
was
featured on the cover of both JAZZIZ and Keyboard Magazine, made
the Downbeat Critic’s Poll for two years in a row, was featured
in
his own BET Television special, and was nominated for two Grammy
awards for Best Instrumental Compostion and Best Instrumental
Jazz Solo. The national spotlight has allowed many more listeners
to become accustomed to Eigsti, a Menlo Park, CA native and
former child prodigy, who has had the opportunity to record and/or
perform with such luminaries as Dave Brubeck, Christian McBride,
Joshua Redman, James Moody, Ernestine Anderson, Frederica Von Stade,
Patti Austin, Red
Holloway, among many others. Eigsti has been recognized world-wide
for his innovative, intense
improvisation, and his unique electrifying rhythmic touch. The past
year of concerts have also
included the integration of electronic effects with acoustic grand
piano, to rave reviews at
venues such as the Hollywood Bowl and the Montreal Jazz Festival. Most
importantly, Eigsti
has not missed a year of Stanford Jazz Workshop either as a student
or a teacher in 11 years—a streak Eigsti’s close friend
and musical collaborator Julian Lage, is trying very hard to beat!
Like Eigsti, Lage began teaching at the workshop at age 15.
Julian
began playing guitar at age 5, playing mostly blues at first, but
he soon discovered jazz and by age eleven was playing with sufficient
skill to be chosen to perform on the nationally televised Grammy
Awards telecast where he was spotted by Gary Burton. Before long,
Burton had asked Julian to join him on some performances and collaboration
developed. In 2003, Julian recorded with Burton on his GENERATIONS
cd and they recorded together again in 2005 with NEXT GENERATION.
Educated in Western classical music at the San Francisco Conservatory
and Sonoma State University, he developed improvisational skill in
parallel with his classical musical education, studying at Ali Akbar
College of Music in California and classical composition at Berklee
College of Music in Boston. He has performed several times at the
San Francisco Jazz Festival, the Monterey Jazz Festival and the Newport
Jazz Festival. Julian toured regularly with the Gary Burton GENERATIONS
Quintet. Julian displays a maturity and musicality well beyond his
years, having contributed a number of original compositions to the
quintet’s repertoire. In 2005, Julian recorded with
long time musical collaborator, pianist Taylor Eigsti, on Eigsti’s
GRAMMY nominated album “Lucky To Be Me,” which features
a duet composed by Julian and Taylor. They also did a tour of Brazil
together in 2005, including the Ouro Preto Festival. Julian will
also be appearing with Joshua Redman on Taylor Eigsti’s upcoming
album “Fall Back Plan,” to be released in February 2008.
Nnenna Freelon’s 2005 release “Blueprint Of A Lady” was
the second GRAMMY nominated album that year on which Julian was also
featured. Julian has managed to also make guest appearances with
a number of musical greats including David Grisman, Bela Fleck, Martin
Taylor, Charles Lloyd, Billy Higgins, Billy Hart, Christian McBride,
Lewis Nash, James Genus, and Billy Kilson.
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