by Scott YanowDuring his relatively brief period in the spotlight, Ralph Peterson has already distinguished himself not only as a superior drummer but as an important bandleader too. It was natural that Peterson would be a drummer since four of his uncles and a grandfather played drums. He started at age three and, after attending Rutgers and settling in New York, he became a constantly working drummer. In addition to sessions with OTB, David Murray, and the Terence Blanchard-Donald Harrison group, Ralph Peterson led several diverse and adventurous sessions for Blue Note and Evidence, all of which are recommended.