Last October, jazz guitarist Julian Lage and roots guitarist Chris "Critter" Eldridge put on a mesmerizing and joyous demonstration of how to engineer musical DNA and come up with something completely new.

It takes special artists to pull stuff like that off - so it'll be fun to see what Lage has in store when he brings his trio to the Side Door Jazz Club on Friday. Bassist Scott Colley and drummer Kenny Wollesen round out this most versatile group - and it's also interesting to note that Lage has just released a new solo acoustic album called "World's Fair." It might be fun to see how and if they nuance material from "World's Fair."

- RICK KOSTER

Julian Lage Trio, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Side Door Jazz Club, Old Lyme Inn, 85 Lyme St., Old Lyme; $35; (860) 434-0886.