Don’t fence him in. This 12th album from 36-year-old Grammy-winning jazz-guitar wiz Julian Lage may confound some listeners, since it opens with the pastoral “Hymnal” before stepping into the pulsing country-blues of “Northern Shuffle,” which is all jagged guitar riffs, staccato saxophone licks, and broken piano chords. Clearly, Americana producer Joe Henry set out to showcase Lage’s versatility. And he’s succeeded: The title track is a rambunctious jazz instrumental and “Two and One” features a bass solo and a swinging Romani jazz tempo, while the rest of the album leans into such relaxing fare as the pretty ballad “Serenade,” the country-centric “Omission,” and the folksy “South Mountain.” “Tiburon” shadows the spark of “Northern Shuffle,” but with a richer display of dynamics. The closer, “Nothing Happens Here,” is a whistle-ready melodic gem. All this diversity feeds a potpourri of sound and creates a sonic travelogue of American music, unlike Lage’s more consistently programmed albums, like 2022’s Bill Frisell collaboration View with a Room and 2015’s Free Flying with pianist Fred Hersch. That said, Speak to Me is bigger than the sum of its parts, thanks to 13 tracks that reflect Lage’s unbridled curiosity and Joe Henry’s command of American music and tasteful production.