American keyboardist and jazz vocalist Ricky Peterson brought his rhythm section from the States for this recording - Gene Lake on drums and brother Paul Peterson on bass. The marriage of all these musical elements - great international soloists, the orchestral genius of Bob Mintzer, the solid WDR tradition and an American rhythm section - perfectly showcase the free spirited playing and singing of Ricky.
Ricky Peterson was a young phenomenon from Minneapolis who came out of a music scene that included both Prince as well as a saxophone player named Irv Williams, who had been pals with Lester Young. In the early nineties, Ricky also spent a couple of years as a staff producer at Paisley Park working for Prince. Ricky is the only musician to have held this rarified position, producing the international best-selling "Most Beautiful Girl in the World" for the Minneapolis legend. At the same time, he worked on productions for George Benson, Phil Upchurch and Anita Baker, among others. Although he's probably best known for his now 20 year association with saxophone legend David Sanborn.
Ricky has always had an orchestral approach to the keyboard and a sly humour to his rhythmic concept, Bob Mintzer too is a master of rhythm, both in his improvisation and in his orchestrations. So they combine together perfectly.
