This coming Friday, saxophonist Elias Haslanger and trumpet player Mike Sailors are scheduled to perform live at Monk’s Jazz Club in Austin, TX. The duo’s performance is in support of its new collaborative effort, Elias Haslanger Meets Mike Sailors. Released this past Friday through Bandstand Presents, the 10-song record (the first for the longtime friends together) is an easy listen both for the musicians’ established audiences and for more casual jazz fans, too, as each of its arrangements prove. This despite the lack of any background on the instrumental performances that fill the album. The record’s production expertly balances each musician’s performance, resulting in a listening experience that Is sure to keep audiences engaged and entertained from beginning to end. To that end, Elias Haslanger Meeets Mike Sailors proves to be a welcome addition to this year’s already very crowded field of new jazz albums.
Elias Haslinger Meets Mike Sailors, the new collaborative record from its namesake musicians, is an enjoyable offering that will appeal to a wide range of jazz audiences. Its appeal comes in large part through its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements are diverse in sound and style from one to the next, opening with the light modern jazz opus that is ‘One Hand Clap.’ ‘History Book,’ which immediately follows, changes things up noticeably with its bluesy opening bars. As with the album’s opener, there is something about the production (the production will be addressed later) that gives the whole something of a big band feel even though each song is performed by the quintet of Haslanger, Sailors, bassist Ryan Hagler, drummer Daniel Dufour, and one of three different pianists who perform on various songs throughout the album. One can only imagine the inspiration behind this cool jazz composition. If only there had been some liner notes to discuss this matter. This will also be addressed later.
‘El Marinero’ (which translates roughly to ‘The Sailor) changes things up even more considerably as the record progresses, turning the focus from American jazz to Afro-Latin. The infectious, fully danceable composition picks up the record’s energy slightly while the change in sound and style continues to show the diversity in the album’s arrangements. From there, the group turns things just as dramatically with the slow, seductive sound and style of ‘For Nicole.’ Again, one can only imagine the story behind this one sans any background on the song. Either way, it is yet another clear example of the diversity in the arrangements’ sounds and styles that is sure to keep listeners engaged and entertained. One could go so far as to make a comparison to works from Miles Davis’ timeless album, Kind of Blue.
The changes continue from this point on through the rest of the album, too. ‘That One Time,’ which follows ‘For Nicole’ changes things again. There is something about this arrangement that makes for a subtle comparison to ‘Straighten up And Fly Right,’ made popular by none other than Nat “King” Cole and his fellow musicians. The small group presenting a big band sound returns on the albums next two songs before the group eases back again one more time on ‘Down Through The Years.’ Following the relaxed vibe of that happy song, the group turns back to the small combo/big band approach for the final two songs.
Keeping in mind everything examined here, listeners can tell that there is plenty of diversity in the songs that make up this album’s body. What’s more plenty of time and thought went into sequencing that diverse content in a way that it will keep listeners engaged and entertained in its own right. This is another positive.
As much as the songs featured in Elias Haslanger Meets Mike Sailors do for his record’s presentation, no background information on the songs is included in the packaging. As has already noted, there are some songs here that would be even more deeply appreciated with that information. Case in point is ‘For Nicole.’ As seductive and romantic as the song is, one can only wonder who is Nicole. What’s more, is this meant to be a love song? What is the story here? ‘Down Through The Years’ is another example of that need for extra background. The title and song together create a certain sort of nostalgic feel. However, that is only an interpretation. Without something to back up that interpretation, its interpretation is left up to audiences. It just makes for a deeper appreciation than just that surface level enjoyment to have the extra background. This applies in this case and those of the album’s other entries. The lack of that information is not enough to doom the record but it certainly would have helped enhance the listening experience.
Knowing that the lack of any information on the songs is nota killer for Elias Haslanger Meets Mike Sailors, there is one more positive to note here. That positive is the production that went into the album’s presentation. The production, as previously noted, is expert in each song. Sailors and Haslanger’s performances perfectly compliment one another from one song to the next. The work of their fellow musicians receives just as much attention, adding a certain “seasoning” to the whole in their own right. The resulting positive aesthetic that rises from that production puts the finishing touch to the album. When it is considered along with the wonderful diversity of sounds and styles featured throughout the album, that whole makes Elias Haslanger Meets Mike Sailors an enjoyable new addition to this year’s field of new jazz albums.
Elias Haslanger Meets Mike Sailors, the new album from its namesake title artists, is an engaging and entertaining offering from the pair and their fellow musicians. Its appeal comes in large part through its musical arrangements, which offer audiences plenty of diversity in sound, style, and sequencing. The music makes for a solid foundation for the album, but the lack of any background on the songs detracts from the album’s appeal at least to a point. Not enough to doom the album, but it certainly would have helped enhance the listening experience. The record’s production puts the finishing touch to its presentation, ensuring plenty of engagement and entertainment in its own right. The production works with the songs themselves to create an overall enjoyable presentation that is a welcome addition to this year’s field of new jazz albums.
Elias Haslanger Meets Mike Sailors is available now. More information on this and other titles from Bandstand Presents is available at:
Website: https://bandstandpresents.com