Ben Patterson never disappoints, and these new 'Groove' Big Band compositions & arrangements are in da pocket! ...creatively written with twists and turns both in the charts and in his trombone playing... Super hip!
Among the vanguard of today's contemporary composers and big band arrangers, trombonist Ben Patterson and his Washington, DC-based band deliver with this hard-driving, bone-chilling set of electrified funk. His music is just as comfortable harnessing the power of the traditional big band horn section as it is with the intermingling of electronica to achieve a singular, complex vision. Surrounded by the elite rhythm section of pianist Chris Ziemba, guitarist Shawn Purcell, bassist Paul Henry, and drummer Todd Harrison, Patterson molds deep musical magic around their swirling grooves.
"...Patterson digs deep in offering some slick and seriously smart art...one brilliant party record that's both sophisticated and accessible."
All About Jazz
1 Exclamation 6:57
Solos: Tedd Baker (tenor), Chris Ziemba - (keys)
2 Interesting Times 8:21
Antonio Orta - (alto), Ben Patterson - (trb)
3 The Way of the Groove 7:17
Alec Aldred (tpt), Ben Patterson (trb), Shawn Purcell (gtr)
4 Stank Face 6:15
Luke Brandon (tpt), Shawn Purcell (grr), Xavier Perez (tenor)
5 Cheese Hat 5:28
Paul Henry (bass), Tedd Baker (tenor)
6 Esp'ritu Valiente 6:01
Kevin Cerovich (trb), Antonio Orta (alto)
All compositions and arrangements
by Ben Patterson, Pro Jazz Charts (ASCAP)
Except "Exclamation," composed by Chris Potter,
Chris Potter Music (BMI)
Ben Patterson Jazz Orchestra:
Antonio Orta - alto & soprano sax
Mike Cemprola - alto sax, flute, clarinet
Tedd Baker - tenor sax, flute, clarinet
Xavier Perez - tenor sax, flute, clarinet
Doug Morgan - bari sax, flute, bass clarinet
Bill Mulligan - piccolo (1), flute (3)
Brian MacDonald - lead trumpet
Kevin Burns - trumpet (lead on Stank Face)
Luke Brandon - trumpet
Alec Aldred - trumpet
Ben Patterson - lead trombone
Kevin Cerovich - trombone
Dave Perkel - trombone
Ben Polk - bass trombone
Shawn Purcell - guitar
Chris Ziemba - piano, Fender Rhodes, keyboards
Paul Henry - electric bass
Todd Harrison - drums, percussion
Fran Vielma - congas, percussion (3,4,6)
Produced by Ben Patterson, Rich Sigler, and Bob Dawson
Recorded and Mixed by Bob Dawson
Additional Engineering by Brian Jacobs
at BIAS Studios, Springfield, VA
Recorded November 20-21 & December 1, 2023
Mastered by Mike Monseur
at Axis Studios, Nashville, TN
Photos by Kevin Burns
Cover design & layout by John Bishop
All About Jazz (Dan Bilawsky)
4-STARS Groove junkies searching for a fix need look no further. Mainlining this music—a hard-hitting big band set that satisfies as it soars—offers a serious high. With a pen and mind untrammeled by norms and expectations, and a tight crew of musical compatriots bringing stentorian sound and vision to his book, trombonist-composer Ben Patters ...
Jazz Weekly (George W Harris)
Trombonist Ben Patterson leads a beefy jazz orchestra through a collection of hard hitting charts that make you think what Weather Report or Herbie Hancock's Headhunters would sound in a big band setting. Paul Henry has a dancing bass through the punchy "Cheese Hat" while altoist Antonia Orta and the leader slam around a Mwandishi'd "Interesting Ti ...
LA Jazz Scene (Scott Yanow)
In the liner notes to Groove Junkies by Harry Schnipper of Blues Alley Jazz, the music of arranger-composer Ben Patterson is accurately described as "hard-driving, bone-chilling, electrified funk." While there is no shortage of contemporary funk recordings, 13-horn 17-piece ensembles that perform in this style are not exactly common.
The Ben Pat ...
All About Jazz (Jack Bowers)
4-STARS When it comes to big-band recordings, commitment and enthusiasm can go a long way toward assuring success. Those benchmarks are fully displayed on Groove Junkies, the third album by trombonist Ben Patterson's Washington, DC-based Jazz Orchestra. While Patterson's compositions and arrangements are not exactly straight ahead—there's an amp ...
Jazz'N'More (Switzerland) (Michael van Gee)
5-STARS "Big Bands Never Die" - this is the motto of this album with outstanding music. Ben Patterson has written and arranged great compositions that will make the heart of every big band fan beat faster. The album opens with the Chris Potter composition "Exclamation" with the 17-piece Jazz Orchestra in top form and a brilliant piano solo by Chri ...
Take Effect (Tom Haugen)
The trombonist Ben Patterson and his D.C. based band treat us to 6 indeed groove filled selections, where diversity and energy are key.
The animated "Exclamation" starts the listen with bright brass that suits Todd Harrison's frisky drums and Chris Ziemba's flowing keys, and "Interesting Times" follows with Antonio Orta's meticulous alto sax fr ...