Ralph Peterson, Jr.

ATTENTION DRUMMERS
MASTER DRUMMER AND TEACHER
RALPH PETERSON
IS ACCEPTING A LIMITED NUMBER OF
PRIVATE STUDENTS
on a twice a month basis
Fridays all day and Saturday mornings
Lessons available in his Boston Studio, or his home studio.
Select New York lessons can also be arranged.

CONTACT MR. PETERSON HERE AT MYSPACE!
For nearly 20 years, Ralph Peterson has been one of the distinctive and recognizable drummers in jazz. His talent and drive as a drummer, composer, arranger and bandleader set him apart as a Master among his peers. Peterson met master drummer Art Blakey in 1983. A few months after sitting in, Blakey called Peterson (then a college junior) to play along side him in his two-drummer big band. This was for a performance at the Boston Globe Festival. Ralph continued in the Jazz Messenger Big Band until Blakey’s passing. Peterson takes seriously the honor and responsibility of being the “Last Messenger Drummer” and later paid homage to Blakey on his 1992 recording “Art”. In December of 2000, Ralph subbed with the legendary Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, at Elvin’s request.
In 1985, a year after his graduation from Rutgers, Peterson was hired to perform with piano giant Walter Davis Jr., as well as with trumpeter Jon Faddis. Ralph has since become a member of the jazz elite. His recording and touring resume includes jazz greats like Terrence Blanchard, Branford Marsalis, Stanley Turrentine, David Murray, The Count Basie Orchestra, Betty Carter, and Michael Brecker.
Peterson’s recording career began in 1985 with the Blue Note stable band OTB (Out of the Blue). Shortly thereafter, he was signed to the Blue Note Label as a leader and released six critically acclaimed recordings. His debut project V won him the prestigious Swing Journal Gold Disc Award. Ralph has since recorded two CD’s for the Evidence label, (the Reclamation Project and The Fo’tet Plays Monk), and two CD’s for the British Sirocco Jazz label (Back to Stay) which featured Michael Brecker and “Triangular 2” which features Dave Kikowski. Peterson has accomplished the difficult task of keeping a working band (The Fo’tet) together for over 15 years. His Quintet release on Criss Cross entitled “The Art of War” received rave reviews and this Quintet, as did the following releases “Subliminal Seduction” and “Tests of Time”. The band's energy and precision is the subject of much of the buzz in the international jazz community.
This year marks the reunion of his innovative group The Fo’tet with the release of a new CD on Criss Cross called The Fo’tet Augmented. One of the most original sounding bands in jazz for the last 15 yrs has now added percussion to the already rhythmic collage. The leader has also formed a new Sextet featuring some of the brightest young players on the scene much in the tradition of his mentor and will be recording them in the near future.
Visit your local Sabian dealer today and ask about the new Vault Limited Edition Ralph Peterson Ride!