Drummer Peterson is one of those musicians who is held in the greatest respect by his peers but remains relatively unknown as a leader in his own right. Nonetheless, his discography has some notable entries (2009’s The Art Of War) and he certainly knows how to put together a good band. Indeed, part of the appeal of this live session at the Side Door, Connecticut is the presence of Gary Thomas, a tenor titan who is not heard enough these days, as well as guitarist Mark Whitfield. There’s a thoughtful selection of material that includes ‘alternative standards’ such as Dolphy’s ‘Gazelloni’ and Andrew Hill’s ‘Venture Inward’ alongside Peterson originals, and for the most part the set is engaging. The players have a thorough command of all areas of contemporary improvised music, which enables them to move seamlessly from hard flighty swing to earthy backbeats, slightly Mingusian Spanish riffs and complex harmonic progressions. On the downside, there are moments when the recording and engineering are a touch on the ropey side, with Curtis Lundy’s double-bass in particular lacking the ballast of which he is so capable. It gives the music a slightly flat, hollow quality at times, which is a shame because the audience reaction suggests that nothing of the sort could be heard by those lucky enough to be there on the night.