Groove Junkies

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 front and center amid the strong attention to atmosphere.

The middle belongs to "The Way Of The Groove" and "Stank Face", where the former allows Patterson's well timed trombone to complement Shawn Purcell's strategic guitar, while the latter is a more intimate moment via Xavier Perez's tenor sax and Luke Brandon's fluid trumpet prowess.

The last track belongs to the cultured "Esp'ritu Valiente", as Fran Vielma's worldly percussion suits Paul Henry's agile bass and Kevin Cerovich's impactful trombone.

A Big Band endeavor that doesn't shy away from funk, too, Patterson and company flesh out swirling grooves and a festive demeanor that you can't not enjoy.