"Mad Scientist Music"—the tag that Harry Schnipper, owner of venerated D.C. jazz venue Blues Alley, admiringly applied to Ben Patterson's creations—is an apt description for this trombonist's work. Synonymous with pure innovation, the titular field is all about pushing the limits, exploring the unknown, and making bold calculations before throwing caution to the wind and letting nature take its course. "I like the idea of my office where I write being a mad scientist's laboratory, a place where I'm creating things that will eventually have a life of their own," Patterson explains. "They're things that some might find strange, unusual, or possibly even monstrous, though hopefully most will find them to be fun and exciting."

Putting that ideal to a successful test while leading a crack crew including longtime colleagues and bandmates from his lengthy stint as lead trombonist and Music Director for The Airmen of Note, Patterson brilliantly balances sophistication with accessibility in the art of the chart. Opening, appropriately enough, with "We're Back, Baby!," the ensemble immediately gets to the heart of the matter. A hard-charging intro, kaleidoscopic harmony and evolving rhythmic terrain offer more than anyone could've bargained for, and burning solos from guitarist