He applied to Livingston College at Rutgers University to study drums, but he failed the percussion entrance exam and enrolled as a trumpeter instead, graduating in 1984.
[3] He worked with Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison in 1984, and with Walter Davis (1985, 1989), Tom Harrell (1985), Out of the Blue (1985–1988), Branford Marsalis (1986), David Murray, Craig Harris (1987), James Spaulding (1988), Roy Hargrove (1989), Jon Faddis (1989), Dewey Redman, Mark Helias (1989), and Wynton Marsalis (with the Count Basie ghost band).
During the 1990s, Peterson played as a sideman with Jack Walrath, Craig Handy, Charles Lloyd, Kip Hanrahan (1992), Bheki Mseleku, Courtney Pine, Steve Coleman, George Colligan, Stanley Cowell, Mark Shim, and Betty Carter.
He began recording as a leader in 1988, with a quintet (Terence Blanchard, Steve Wilson, Geri Allen, and Phil Bowler) on V and Volition.
In 1989 he recorded in the quartet format as "The Fo'tet" with Don Byron, Steve Wilson (later Bobby Franchesini), Melissa Slocum (later Belden Bullock), and Bryan Carrott.
After living in Canada for some time, he returned to Philadelphia, where he worked again with "The Fo'tet,” and recorded as Triangular 2 with Slocum and Uri Caine.
“The Trials of Trust and Treachery” off of Subliminal Seduction (2002, Criss Cross) was his homage to the difficulty but importance of long-term relationships.
Coming to the fore in the 1980s as a member of the Young Lions, a cohort of musicians tied to the neo-bop movement, Peterson acknowledged the influence of Art Blakey.
[10] Peterson praised Alan Dawson’s teaching and developed the veteran drummer’s Rudiment Ritual using the principles of three part-writing to incorporate parallel, contrary, and oblique motion.
Understanding form, melody, harmony, and phrasing all have a profound effect on what a drummer plays.”[14] Peterson’s Berklee students included Ari Hoenig, E.J Strickland, Tyshawn Sorey, Jonathon Blake, Mark Whitfield Jr., Kush Abadey and Justin Faulkner.