Young Trumpets: Ben Holmes and Sun Trios

Ben Holmes Trio Ben Holmes Trio Self Released 2009	Sun Trio Time is Now Cam Jazz 2009

Young creative musicians are the lifeblood of any art form and these two contrasting trumpet trio releases from disparate corners of the jazz landscape have more in common than initially meets the ear. The Ben Holmes Trio has this young talented trumpeter introducing Eastern European flavors with beautiful results while Sun Trio traffics in freer discourse with Scandinavian postmodern roots.

Holmes, unlike much of his conservatory-trained peer group, doesn't try to cram as many notes into a measure as he possibly can on this eponymous debut, well, not usually anyway. It could even be said that he plays like a person with Miles of experience. Each note is savored, rolled around, cogitated on and given its due time in space. He pulls this off due to a strikingly flavor-filled tone that seems to have been aged longer than Holmes himself. His bandmates, bassist Dan Loomis and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza, share this quality-over-quantity ethos and as a unit provide an unhurried soundscape that promotes Holmes' ability to pick and choose his notes carefully. This is especially true on the self-penned tunes that impress with a compositional confidence born of experience as opposed to brashness. While there is the odd klez-burner, the gorgeous soliloquy of "Devil in the Clock," thoughtful reworking of "Romanian Folk Song" and pensive "Ballad #1" indulge rather than confront.

Finland's Sun Trio is likewise young and very comfortable with themselves on Time is Now?'s engrossing original collaborative explorations. Ostensibly led by drummer Olavi Louhivuori, this is a true trio with Louhivuori's brother Kalevi on trumpet and bassist Antti L