His band, The John Patrick Peters Band, consistently performs as a five-piece band that includes: two saxophones, bass, drums and guitar.

“(The most rewarding part) for me was being able to put something out there that is truly my experience and really have a large emotional attachment to,” Peters said. “These songs are not songs that I have written in a day and decided to record. This is stuff I have been working on for two or three years now.”

The album is blues influenced with jazz and rock. Peters said the whole album is related to love, but each song offers a different perspective and approach to the people.

“This album is a piece of what I consider to be three parts in my head,” Peters said. “Each song was written about a different relationship in my life, particularly a different girl, with the exception of 'Burning Bed,' which is the second song on the album, which was written about an event that happened in Dansville, Michigan in the 70’s.”

Peters is originally from Fort Worth, Texas and moved to Jackson, Mich. in 1997. Peters said he found his love for jazz through a combination of events.

“It is something I kind of stumbled into through roots of the blues and just trying to strive to be the best player I can be,” Peters said. “I found that jazz players take virtuosity really seriously, so I kind of fit the calling.”

Randy Napoleon is a jazz studies assistant professor at MSU and is one of Peters' biggest influences. He said he is inspired to play music because of people like Napoleon.

“I am around so many great players, students and professors alike,” Peters said. “It is just inspiring seeing all these kids my age and younger than me — granted I am 24, so I am kind of getting up there — seeing everybody just taking it so gung-ho and everyone so into it.”

Napoleon has been playing music for 26 years and is no stranger to jazz music. He has been teaching at MSU for three years and worked with Peters since he was a freshman.

“He is like an ideal student,” Napoleon said. “JP has kind of exceptional dedication and just grit and determination. I have seen him really blossom in three years.”

Napoleon said expects great things from Peters and admires his love for music.

“I love it, it is an incredible program,” Napoleon said. “Our students are just totally passionate about music and it is a really special faculty, everyone on the faculty are all kind of internationally known jazz musicians and they also really care about education. Students get real feel exposure to what is actually happening in business but they also get a lot of nurturing and love.”

Peters said he hopes listeners connect with his music.

“The most rewarding thing is being able to put myself out there and seeing how people take it and see how the people react,” Peters said. “I am finding that people have a lot of the same feelings and perspectives as I do. ... I think the challenge is overcoming your own rejection and being able to just truly let the music happen.”

Jazz studies sophomore Mario Bosca started playing bass when he was 10 years old. He said he met Peters when he filled in for a show. Bosca has been playing with Peters ever since and helped record the album.

“The thing that sets it (the album) apart from a lot of what’s happening right now, especially on this campus and in Lansing, is its rockabilly vibe,” Bosca said. “JP definitely loves to tell people he is from Texas, so it has that old timey dance kind of feel to it which is really cool and it’s a sound you just don’t really hear much anymore.”

Bosca said he looks forward to the album being released.

“I love the concept of creating sounds,” Bosca said. “We are surrounded by sounds every single day but I love being the creator of something that nobody has ever heard before.”