By: D. Oscar Groomes, O’s Place
Ralph Peterson is a prolific man, a drummer, bandleader, composer, and educator at Berklee College of Music. We focus here on his work as a formidable drummer, leading a sextet for Legacy Alive, Volume 6 at the Side Door, a non-stop electrifying 2-disc set celebrating the legendary Art Blakey. Ralph has all of the endorphins flowing with an incredible band including Bobby Watson (a-sax), Bill Pierce (t-sax), Brian Lynch (t), Geoffrey Keezer (p) and Essiet Essiet (b). It’s a no holds barred session with Lynch
bringing it on “In Case You Missed It” and excellent work by Pierce on “My One and Only Love”. We would have loved to catch them that night at The Side Door in Old Lyme, CT but the recording is a close second!