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"Throwing Sparks"-The Heather Bennett Trio (Heather Bennett, piano; Erin Wright, bass; Audra Menconi, drums) HB Records ("Throwing Sparks", "Besates", "Piece of Keith", "Get Off My Bench", "Patricia", "Oh Happy Day", "Alone Together", "Truth Within Lies", "Joy Spring", "Ellen David")

It is always a distinct pleasure to note the emergence of more and more talented women in the field of jazz performance and recording. Jazz is by no means an unequal opportunity employer- - -let's face it, it's a tough row to hoe no matter on which side your buttons close- - -but it has been, and still is, a predominantly male pursuit. Carla Bley, Joanne Brackeen, Alice Coltrane, Jane Getz, Staci Rowles, Teri Lyne Carrington, Patrice Rushen, the late Emily Remler, Mary Lou Williams, Marian McPartland, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Carol Kay have all made their marks in the world of instrumental jazz, and there are more up-and-comers joining the ranks every day.

Heather Bennett is a young pianist, composer and singer from Austin, Texas (by way of Columbia, South Carolina, where she graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in jazz piano performance.) In her own words, "I came to Austin for a man, and I stayed for the music!" It's as good a reason as any to put down some roots in a city known for its thriving musical community, if not for its reliable men. Bennett, 25 and pixieish with her short-cropped blondined hair, is a serious musician with a serious ambition, and her CD "Throwing Sparks" gives us every indication that she is headed in the right direction.

From the CD's cover art to its sterling production quality, there is little doubt that Bennett is every inch a woman with high artistic values and a strong sense of her own best marketing points. Her writing and playing skills are remarkable as well, but the overall impression one gets from the CD is that of a young player/composer with a lot to say, and in a hurry about it, too. The CD's opening number, "Throwing Sparks", is a virtual throwback to Thelonious Monk's "Epistrophy", and Bennett's other original tunes, while borrowing less obviously from her pianistic influences, show a similar and marked affinity for the Monk-style "stutter", a witty and jittery approach to the music and the playing of it. Erin Wright's two original pieces, "Besates" and "Patricia", are, by contrast, much more melodic, less "bop" in content and execution. "Besates" ("little kisses"} is a warm, bright Brasilian offering that showcases Wright's gorgeous playing on her six-stringed electric bass, and "Patricia" is a slow and ravishingly pretty jazz ballad (written for Wright's mother). Wright also shines on E.F. Rimbault's "Oh Happy Day", although Bennett's gospel playing leaves a bit to be desired. The jazz standards "Alone Together", "Joy Spring" and Charlie Haden's "Ellen David" round out the recording- - -the last is a most arresting and unusual meditation and an interesting addition to the CD's material. Drummer Audra Menconi provides light and deft work throughout; the collective touch is light, the spirit playful and joyous.

At 25, Heather Bennett has years ahead of her in which to consolidate her influences and strengthen an already impressive technique. "Throwing Sparks" shows Bennett to have considerable promise, but I'm not sure that this is sufficient reason for her to already be committing her work to a CD. She is obviously an intelligent and dedicated musician, and, with time, her compositions and playing may prove her to be a stand-out. Something tells me that she will not only live up to her potential but surpass it.

Three stars

Julia Olivarez