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Sounding Point is the debut studio album by the then 21-year-old jazz guitarist Julian Lage. It was released in March 2009 by EmArcy Records. It entered the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart at number 13 and was nominated for the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.

Critical Reception:

This is as impressive a debut recording as you’ll hear from the plethora of jazz guitarists who dot the landscape. Its diversity, depth of character, and high level of musicianship bode well for the future of Julian Lage – a legitimate rising star (Michael G. Nastos/AllMusic).

Sounding Point bears hints of the guitarist’s many stylistic travels, yet sounds specifically like none of them. Instead, using four musical settings—his own quintet, duets with Eigsti, a virtuosic trio with banjoist Béla Fleck and mandolinist Chris Thile, and two solo acoustic guitar tracks that recall Ralph Towner in spirit, if not in style—Sounding Point is an eclectic album rife with vivid writing, imaginative playing and a seamless blend as challenging as it is listenable (John Kelman/AllAboutJazz).

Julian Lage is a big talent blossoming (John Fordham/TheGuardian).

Track listing:

All tracks are written by Julian Lage except where noted.

1. “Clarity” 5:54
2. “All Purpose Beginning” 7:16
3. “Familiar Posture” 2:58
4. “The Informant” (Lage/Béla Fleck/Chris Thile) 3:23
5. “Peterborough” 0:46
6. “Long Day, Short Night” (Lage/Fleck/Thile) 5:47
7. “Quiet, Through and Through” 2:18
8. “Lil’ Darlin'” (Neal Hefti) 5:20
9. “Tour One” (Taylor Eigsti, Lage) 4:27
10. “Alameda” (Elliott Smith) 2:19
11. “Constructive Rest” 2:38
12. “Motor Minder” 6:00
13. “All Blues” (Miles Davis) 7:14

Personnel:
Julian Lage – guitar
Béla Fleck – banjo
Chris Thile – mandolin
Ben Roseth – saxophone
Taylor Eigsti – piano
Aristides Rivas – cello
Jorge Roeder – bass
Tupac Mantilla – hand percussion

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Released: March 24, 2009
Recorded: May 11, 2008 and June 15–16, 2008
Studio: Legacy Studios, New York City
Length: 56:20
Label: EmArcy
Producer: Steven Epstein