What's your approach to quickly adapting to different musical styles when working as a session musician?

I like to listen to the track a few times through, read or pay attention to the text if there is some, and then cross reference with reference tracks given to me by the client (if they had any). If it is a musical style I am not familiar with at all and the client didn't send me references, I will ask for them and/or do a little research on my end. Most of the time though the musical styles I get requests for are ones I've had experience with throughout my career, and have therefore developed a feel for them from working with a lot of different musicians. That experience can often help me delve into styles that are on the fringe of what I know well too, allowing me to draw on my experience even in styles I'm slightly less familiar with. In the end, I'll be sending versions to the client for feedback too, so we'll definitely be able to find the right vibe.

To quickly adapt to different musical styles, I leverage my strong sight-reading skills, which allow me to swiftly interpret new music. I also research the genre or artist beforehand to understand their style and nuances. This approach ensures that I can deliver accurate and stylistically fitting performances.