Peter Baumann (born January 29, 1953 in Berlin) formed the core line-up of the German electronic group Tangerine Dream with Edgar Froese and Christopher Franke in 1971. While touring with the band, Baumann composed his first solo album in 1976. Shortly thereafter, in 1977, he left the band and started his own solo career. During the 1980s, he founded a record label, Private Music, specializing in instrumental music in a style popularly referred to as New Age. Artists signed to the label included Yanni, Patrick O'Hearn, Jerry Goodman, Suzanne Ciani, and former bandmates Tangerine Dream. The label was eventually sold to Windham Hill Records' parent company, BMG, who continue to distribute some of the back catalogue of its more successful artists. Baumann has since kept a low profile from the music business.