Julian Lage was once a guitar whiz kid, and now, at 25, he’s a guitar wizard. His music is rich in melody, texture, and rhythm, synthesizing influences from jazz and bluegrass, folk and chamber music, along with traditions from around the world. The San Francisco Chronicle has praised his “jaw-dropping stylistic range and thrilling technique.” He’s taken a little of Django Reinhardt’s swing jazz mojo, a little of Andres Segovia’s classical precision, and a little of Tony Rice’s fearless bluegrass fingerpicking, added his own progressive sensibility, and leaped into the creative void to make crystalline music with a light touch and a sure sense of craft.

As an eight-year-old growing up in Santa Rosa, he was already jamming with Carlos Santana. A documentary about him, Jules at Eight, was nominated for an Academy Award. At 11, he made his recording debut on Dawg Duos, a David Grisman album featuring, among others, Vassar Clements, Edgar Meyer, and Béla Fleck. “Those were my heroes,” Julian says. At 17, he toured and recorded with vibraphone great Gary Burton. After studying at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Ali Akbar College of Music, and Boston’s Berklee College of Music, he released his first album, Sounding Point, nominated for a Grammy as Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 2009. Now he has a new album, Gladwell, garnering praise from critics and fans alike. “With its constantly shifting moods, transparent textures, and unexpected references,” says the Boston Globe, the album “rewards repeated listening; it’s a destination that sounds like nothing else on the map.”

For a highly rewarding jazz excursion with a brilliant young guitarist, find your way to the Freight.

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Listen to a track from Julian Lage: