Elias Haslanger Interview | Legacy, 30 Years of Jazz & Honoring His Musical Mentors

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series with veteran Austin, Texas-based saxophonist Elias Haslanger.We caught up with this longtime fixture of the Central Texas jazz scene to talk about his ninth album, Legacy, and the remarkable 30-year journey that has made him one of the enduring voices in Texas jazz.Legacy is deeply personal.The album is dedicated to the great mentors who have influenced Elias throughout his musical life, and it serves as an all-original program celebrating the people, experiences, lessons, and musical traditions that helped shape his sound.For this special recording, Elias assembled an exceptional group of musicians from across the country, including his longtime partner Mike Sailors on trumpet and flugelhorn.Over the course of his three-decade career, Elias Haslanger's playing and writing have drawn comparisons to jazz giants including John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, and Wayne Shorter. He has also performed, recorded, and toured with numerous world-class musicians, including legendary New Orleans pianist and educator Ellis Marsalis and acclaimed bandleader and trumpeter Maynard Ferguson.In this conversation, we explore Legacy, the mentors who shaped Elias' musical identity, his evolution as a saxophonist and composer, the Austin jazz scene, and what it means to continue creating original music after 30 years in the business.At its heart, Legacy is about more than music.It's about the people who teach us, inspire us, challenge us, and leave something behind in us that continues long after the lesson is over.Elias Haslanger brings three decades of experience, an impressive musical résumé, and a deep respect for the jazz tradition into this fascinating conversation about mentorship, composition, performance, Austin jazz, and the continuing evolution of his sound.Get the Album & MoreElias Haslanger Official Website For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkcSubscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2The Home of Neon Jazz: http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:                     https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.