A fluent trumpeter with a bright tone and a forward-looking style that sometimes recalls
Woody Shaw,
Thomas Heflin is clearly an up-and-coming player. On
Symmetry, four of the selections were recorded with a quintet in 2002 that features the late pianist
James Williams and vibraphonist
Chris Conner. A high point is their modernized but melodic version of "When It's Sleepy Time Down South." A trio number from 2006 with pianist
Louis Heriveaux and bassist
Tom Sauter, "Eastern Star" is a thoughtful ballad that pays tribute to
Williams. Otherwise, the performances are by a quartet with
Heflin,
Heriveaux,
Sauter, and drummer
Quinn Blandford from 2005. The music includes the straight-ahead blues "Sketch in Blue," fresh versions of songs by
Cole Porter,
Thelonious Monk,
Bobby Hutcherson, and
Woody Shaw, and a variety of inventive
Heflin originals. The only misfire is an overly straight melodic reading of
Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour," which makes one think that the CD machine switched to the wrong disc; fortunately, the solos compensate. Overall, this is a highly enjoyable effort by
Thomas Heflin, a very promising trumpeter.