Album Notes

Born and raised in Setauket, Long Island New York... Last of the Mohicans his mother used to share with the townsfolk. The youngest of four, music was all around the house and avenue. Mom played the piano and sang. Dad played the guitar, harmonica, and jaw harp. It seemed like every relative's home we visited had a piano and someone in that family could "bang" on the piano. Learning to play an instrument was a family requirement just like Saturday chores. Growing up in a religious family, playing anything that did not have a religious slant to it was out. Even so my brother and sisters as part of the Black Power movement "revolted" by buying and playing James Brown songs every chance they could. Even though my strict parents portrayed a unified front, Mom could sing the blues and Dad loved his Jimmy Smith and Jack McDuff, except on the Lords Day. For the Lee siblings, music would not be denied. Coming home from church on a Sunday evening the older siblings, in the back of the car, would be crooning a gospel tune in three part harmony, Peter, in the front would try to add in but was soon told to "just listen". Actually it was more like "shut up"! At a young age, Peter loved the drums and would bang on anything and with anything. However, drums were not a divine instrument. So at the age of 12 he started with trumpet lessons; had fun with it but never took it serious and the instructor told him so on many occasions. About the same time, the guitar was always an instrument that fascinated him. Watching his father play he was amazed at how Dad's big, long fingers could be so nimble. He decided that the guitar would be his instrument. Learning with the aid of one of the many Mel Bay guitar chord books, listening to Santana rip leads, his cousin Steven's playing and James Brown, he listened and listened and had a pretty good ear for picking out the rhythm guitar parts. Through the end of high school, Peter jammed with his cousins, and for a while the family of four started a contemporary gospel group. His brother Bill was on bass, his sister Geral was on piano and lead vocals and Barbara who played clarinet, but quickly discarded it, sang as well. They played at some Long Island church events with Peter on guitar. This continued for a while with Mom's approval. Through family and personal trials the group "petered" out. Peter continued to play and wrote and co-wrote some songs with Will McKenzie a great friend, also from the avenue. It was during this time when Peter was working odd jobs, hanging out and clubbing that he knew he could be doing more, but what? One day, on one of his lunch breaks while working in a suppository factory, he read in the classifieds about a radio announcer's school at WBAB. He had done party dj-ing and thought this might be a good progression. He entered the course and in eight weeks obtained his license and spent some time at WUSB, Stony Brook University's radio station. Peter had a weekly show mostly during the graveyard shift and had visions of becoming a radio personality. Even though he enjoyed playing music selections that would not be heard on mainstream radio, spending four hours in a stuffy, small room was not what he wanted to do. Yet, there were memorable moments. He had the opportunity to meet Pat Prescott a radio personality at WRVR, New York's premier jazz station. During this ending phase, the guitar was collecting dust and the radio personality dream was fading but music was still an important part of his life. Entering college, Peter continued to play, but only for himself; playing songs that reminded him of playing with his sisters and brother and with Will McKenzie. Peter graduated school with a Bachelors in Social Work degree and went to work. The guitar was definitely in the closet now. In 1986, he took a job in Providence and music still pulsing in his bones, he had another "brilliant" idea. He began to review jazz artists for a small Providence newspaper called the