Mad Scientist Music [CD]

With a startling, swinging "We're Back, Baby!," trombonist, composer & arranger Ben Patterson boldly opens up the companion album to 2024's acclaimed "Groove Junkies." His Washington, DC-based band of longtime colleagues maintain their turn-on-a-dime precision and penchant for fire and surprise, but while "Groove" celebrated the funk of the Brecker Brothers and Tower of Power, "Mad Scientist Music" delivers an expansive display of the state of the art in large ensemble composing and performance, brilliantly balancing sophistication with accessibility. Never predictable or repetitive. The performances are consistently high-powered and often explosive, making this outing by the Ben Patterson Jazz Orchestra quite memorable." - LA Jazz SceneA hard-hitting big band set that satisfies as it soars, offering a serious high - All About Jazz