Scenes from Above
| Scenes from Above | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 23, 2026 | |||
| Studio | Sear Sound, New York City[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 42:12 | |||
| Label | Blue Note 216522 LP / 228648 CD | |||
| Producer | Joe Henry | |||
| Julian Lage chronology | ||||
| ||||
Scenes from Above is a studio album by guitarist Julian Lage, released by Blue Note Records on January 23, 2026.[2] It features Lage in a new quartet with keyboardist John Medeski, bassist Jorge Roeder, and drummer Kenny Wollesen, additionally with Patrick Warren covering various keyboards and percussion.[3]
Lage's inspiration for the album came from guessing how the quartet would interact; "My dream with composing, really, is to have something to talk about once we're together," he said. Lage initially wrote the songs in short sprints of each around 20 minutes.[1]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [2] |
| The Arts Desk | [4] |
| PopMatters | 7/10[5] |
Thom Jurek of AllMusic wrote that the album "lacks the tension of its predecessor, but that equally collaborative dynamic is the point", with "gauzy strength, pliability, and openness of the ensemble in trusting and embracing the tender quality of Lage's music".[2]
Sebastian Scotney, writing for The Arts Desk, commented, "Scenes From Above hopefully shows him [Lage] entering a new phase. It is a very classy album indeed." Scotney attributes this to the fact that "it reunites the jazz guitarist with the drummer on the earlier album, the magnificently empathetic Kenny Wolleson."[4]
Glide magazine wrote, "the participants make the most of the unusual combination of their overall experience as musicians it meshes with the novelty of their unity on this record [...] Julian Lage simultaneously consolidates and extends his artistic courage with Scenes From Above".[6]
PopMatters's Will Layman stated, "John Medeski colors each Julian Lage composition to perfection. For all its ease of listening, this album isn't comfort food as much as a really balanced meal."[5]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Julian Lage.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Opal" | 4:09 |
| 2. | "Red Elm" | 4:46 |
| 3. | "Talking Drum" | 5:06 |
| 4. | "Havens" | 4:43 |
| 5. | "Night Shade" | 7:23 |
| 6. | "Solid Air" | 3:20 |
| 7. | "Ocala" | 4:20 |
| 8. | "Storyville" | 4:23 |
| 9. | "Something More" | 4:02 |
| Total length: | 42:12 | |
Personnel
Musicians
- Julian Lage – acoustic and electric guitars
- John Medeski – piano, Hammond B3 organ
- Jorge Roeder – double bass
- Kenny Wollesen – drums, percussion
- Patrick Warren – piano, Chamberlin, dulcitone, strings, bells, percussion
Production
- Joe Henry – producer
- Mark Goodell – recording engineer, mixing
- Kim Rosen – mastering
- Nick Steinhardt – art direction, design
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Monthly charts
|
References
- ^ a b Currin, Grayson Haver (January 23, 2026). "Julian Lage 'Scenes From Above'". Blue Note. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ a b c Jurek, Thom. "Scenes From Above – Julian Lage | Album". AllMusic. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ "Julian Lage – Scenes From Above". Blue Note. 2026. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ a b Scotney, Sebastian (January 17, 2026). "'Scenes from Above' is Julian Lage's best album since 2018". The Arts Desk. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ a b Layman, Will (January 29, 2026). "Julian Lage Teams with John Medeski for Impeccable LP". PopMatters. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ Collette, Doug (January 19, 2026). "Julian Lage Shines With New Band Feat. John Medeski, Kenny Wollesen & Jorge Roeder On 'Scenes From Above' (ALBUM REVIEW)". glidemagazine.com. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart on 30/1/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ "Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart on 20/2/2026 – Top 30". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ "Top Current Album Sales: Week of February 7, 2026". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ "Jazz Albums: Week of February 7, 2026". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts Top 20 Jazz-Charts – März 2026" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 9, 2026.