In 2016, Ben launched the Ben Patterson Jazz Orchestra with its first recording, Vital Frequencies, featuring Chris Potter. The band includes some of the Washington, DC area's top musicians and has performed at Blues Alley and for the Washington Performing Arts Society Gala.
Among the vanguard of today's contemporary composers and big band arrangers, Ben Patterson's 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's unique musical voice makes him instantly recognizable as a trombonist, composer, and arranger. He is the former lead trombonist and music director for the USAF Airmen of Note, with whom he spent 22 years thrilling audiences with his fiery technique and connecting with students all over the U.S. and abroad.