Ben Holmes plays trumpet and “rotary trumpet” in a trio setting with Brad Shepik on nylon string guitar and percussionist Shane Shanahan. Holmes’ tone is warm and alluring, a la Kenny Dorham, and he’s quite lyrical with Middle Eastern percussion on the melodic “The Sunbeast Emerges” and the danceable “Swamplands Chusidl”. Moroccan sounds get festive for “First We Were Sad; Then We Danced” and the group jams like it’s a camel race to the finish line on “All Together”. Alluring and exotic, with Holmes’ solo on “Invocation” a warm illumination. A Marrakesh express.
Thomas Marriott floats his horn with modern ellipticism on this quartet date with Orrin Evans/p, Luques Curtis/b and Mark Whitfield Jr/dr. The team hovers on a dainty “All the Things You Are” while the team shows its rapid fire with Marriott going mano a mano with Whitfield on the loose “Funny Uncle”. Dark hues by Evans meld with Marriott’s muted horn on the richly hued ballad “148 Lexington” as well as on the sepia toned “Behind The Beard” coaxed along by Curtis. The team bops the most on Miles Davis’ “General Assembly” and Marriott’s own “Song For Samuel” with the moods mostly in warm pastels.