There is something about this new breed of jazz musician coming up today. These young players, in this so-called “renaissance of jazz,” have an intensity and excitement about what they are doing that is breathing life into a genre that has seemed to stagnate over the last decade. Ralph Peterson, Jr., is one of these musicians with a fierce devotion to his art and a vitality to his approach that is refreshing. This energetic approach, combined with a deep respect for the history of the drums, has placed Peterson alongside some of the most respected jazz musicians today. After being exposed to the drums early on by his father, who was a drummer himself, Peterson remained basically self-taught until he attended Rutgers University. After being accepted at Rutgers as a trumpet major, Peterson worked his way into the drum department and studied with jazz great Michael Carvin. In short order, […]

May 1986 Issue