Trumpet Player Thomas Heflin's Symmetry

"Symmetry", the debut of jazz trumpeter Thomas Heflin on Blue Canoe Records, explores the vast possibilities of contemporary post bop jazz through a carefully balanced program of original compositions and thoughtfully selected cover tunes. The self produced cd admirably showcases Heflin's brilliant, highly praised improvisational skills as well as the formidable talents of his band, including four tracks featuring the late world renowned pianist James Williams.

A rising star in the jazz world, Heflin made waves on the international jazz scene in 2005 when he placed second in the prestigious Carmine Caruso International Trumpet Solo Competition in Seattle. One reviewer described his playing as “a very fluid approach... generating lines in a seamless, highly polished manner that is really a joy to experience."

Among the original compositions are “Symmetry", the title track which opens and closes the album; “Salutation", a piece based on Kalidasa's poem “Salutation to the Dawn", and the ballad “Eastern Star", dedicated to James Williams. Heflin also covers material ranging from Louis Armstrong's anthem “When It's Sleepy Time Down South" to Cole Porter's “Night and Day" to Stevie Wonder's “Ma Cherie Amour".

“Symmetry" is aptly titled: Thomas Heflin has achieved a fine sense of proportion through his original pieces and covers. And though it is one of the last recordings James Williams made before he passed away, perhaps a new jazz legend, Thomas Heflin, is emerging in his own right.