Speak No Evil

Asked for a soundtrack to our interview, Haslanger chose Wayne Shorter's 1965 Blue Note album, Speak No Evil.

"This is a seminal record for me. Every note on it is perfect, and as a concept album, it's perfectly realized. The cover, with Wayne peering out from the background behind his wife, conjures an otherworldly sense. The song titles suggest an air of mystery that drew me in – "Witchhunt," "Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum," and "Dance Cadaverous." The band is interesting because he used bassist Ron Carter and pianist Herbie Hancock, his partners in Miles Davis' band, but instead of Miles' drummer Tony Williams, he used Elvin Jones, my favorite drummer, from Coltrane's band. This combination is magical. Elvin plays with such empathy with Wayne and the others. And there's Freddie Hubbard, who's my favorite trumpeter.

"I don't like solos being at the forefront of a tune. I prefer the composition be the focus with the solos an extension of the composition. That's what happens on this record, and that's what I try to do with my own music, make the compositions the most important thing. Wayne's tunes are the epitome of modern jazz. They mix Monk and Ellington with a dash of mystery. There's a suspended feeling in his music – it's never grounded. It's always floating."