Push the Limits

Trombonist and leader Ben Patterson slides on a variety of base paths with his team of Shawn Purcell/g, Chris Ziemba/key, Paul Henry/b and Todd Harrison/dr through a mix of originals. Dan Cortaza brings his nylon strings to the nimble gallop of "Road Trip", while for a handful of the tunes, you feel like you're taking in a modern take of the Jazz Messengers. Patterson digs in deep on the Blue Note-ish "Scoish" and the team shuffles hard on "Alone Time". With Ziemba on Rhodes, Purcell rocks out with a Metheny-esque tone on "Alternative Reality" with some Weather Report fusion going on for "Fear Is The Mind Killer". Patterson's own sound is big and bold on the bopping title pieces and warm on the pretty " Almost There" and ballad "Hope". Polished and shiny brass.