Austin Peralta

Austin Peralta
Born (1990-10-25)October 25, 1990
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Origin U.S.
Died November 21, 2012(2012-11-21) (aged 22)[1]
Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres Jazz
Instruments Piano
Years active 2006–2012
Labels Brainfeeder

Austin Peralta (October 25, 1990 – November 21, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer from Los Angeles, California. He was the son of film director and Z-Boys skateboarder Stacy Peralta.[2]

Early life

Austin Peralta was born on October 25, 1990 to filmmaker Joni Caldwell[3] and Z-Boys skateboarder and film director Stacy Peralta.[4] Peralta started playing piano at the age of five and quickly became a prodigious player.[5][6] At age 10 whilst learning classical piano, he developed an interest in jazz when a friend gave him a Bill Evans CD.[7] Peralta studied classical piano for five years at Pepperdine University[8] and later with noted jazz pianist Alan Pasqua and saxophonist Buddy Collette. In 2003 at age 12, Peralta was awarded the Shelly Manne New Talent Award by the Los Angeles Jazz Society, which was presented to him by Quincy Jones.[9] In addition to the piano, Peralta also played the upright bass, drums and saxophone.[10][11] He was an honor student at Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica.[12]

Career

From a young age Peralta made a name for himself in the Los Angeles music scene regularly performing with The Gerald Wilson Orchestra at such venues as the Jazz Bakery and the Blue Whale jazz club.[13] At age 15, Peralta performed at the 2006 Tokyo Jazz Festival with his own group, The Hour Trio,[10] and with jazz legends Chick Corea and Hank Jones.[3]

In 2006, he released two albums on Sony Music, Maiden Voyage, featuring bassist Ron Carter, and Mantra which included renowned bassist Buster Williams.[9] In 2007, he performed at the Java Jazz Festival.[8]

In 2011 Peralta met Steven Ellison (a.k.a. Flying Lotus) through a mutual friend David Wexler (Dr. Strangeloop). Soon after, Peralta joined Ellison's Brainfeeder label and released his final album, Endless Planets. Ellison considered Peralta's addition to the label as a key turning point in the label's expansion of genres and movement towards jazz.[14][15] Austin Peralta has said that he does not promote his first two albums because the producer did not allow him to express his artistic vision.[7] Under the Brainfeeder record label, however, he was free to defy conventional genres and express spirituality through his music.[7]

Peralta composed and performed the score for the remastered documentary feature What Happened to Kerouac? (2012) and appeared on the track "DMT Song" on Flying Lotus' album Until the Quiet Comes (2012). Before his death in 2012, Peralta was a touring member of jazz group The Cinematic Orchestra and was performing regularly with Allan Holdsworth and Virgil Donati.

Throughout his career, Peralta was a regular collaborator with Brainfeeder artists Flying Lotus and Thundercat and made recordings with artists such as Teebs, Strangeloop and Erykah Badu.[16]

Death and legacy

Peralta died on November 21, 2012, at the age of 22. The LA County Coroner's Report indicated the most likely cause of death was viral pneumonia, aggravated by a combination of alcohol and drugs.[17] His memorial service was held on December 1 at Crossroads School in Santa Monica.[3]

As news of his death spread, musicians such as Robert Glasper and Gilles Peterson paid tribute to Peralta. Flea called Peralta "a transcendent musician, the kind of kid that made the future of music look bright." The track 'A Message for Austin' from Thundercat's 2013 album Apocalypse also pays tribute to Peralta.[18][19] On his 2014 album You’re Dead!, Flying Lotus dedicated the track “The Boys Who Died in Their Sleep” to Peralta.[20]

Deathgasm Ensemble

The ensemble name Deathgasm is an inspiration from the Bardo Thodol (the so-called Tibetan Book of the Dead) and the Gaspar Noé film Enter the Void. Peralta felt that his music had the power to evoke spiritual places similar to death, orgasm, love, or "whatever". So he decided to name his ensemble Deathgasm.[11]

Personnel

The Peralta/Strangeloop Project

Peralta and Strangeloop (another Brainfeeder artist) met at a coffee shop when Strangeloop ranted to him about the apocalypse. Peralta found him like-minded and ended up connecting, becoming best friends. Strangeloop's music is more electronic and Peralta wanted to introduce that world into his acoustic style of music. Peralta felt that something was missing in his Endless Planet's project that was in the works and decided to tie Strangeloop's work into his.[11] They performed live together at the Roy O. Disney Theatre on July 7, 2010 and numerous other occasions.

Discography

Singles

with The Hour Trio

Guest appearances

References

  1. ↑ "Brainfeeder-affiliated jazz pianist and composer Austin Peralta dead aged 22". 21 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  2. ↑ Mark McDermott (January 15, 2013). "The Life and Death of Austin Peralta". LA Weekly. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 McDermott, Marc (15 January 2013). "The Life and Death of Austin Peralta". LA Weekly. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  4. ↑ Barton, Chris (1 April 2011). "Jazz review: Austin Peralta Trio at Lot 1 Cafe". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  5. ↑ "Austin Peralta". Ninja Tune. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  6. ↑ "Biography". Austin Peralta. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 "Austin Peralta: Go Through the Darkness". L.A. Record. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  8. 1 2 "Austin Peralta". Java Jazz Festival. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
  9. 1 2 Collar, Matt. "Austin Peralta: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  10. 1 2 "Tokyo Jazz 2006 – Performing Artists". Tokyo Jazz Festival 2006. 2006. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  11. 1 2 3 http://larecord.com/interviews/2011/03/15/austin-peralta-go-through-the-darkness
  12. ↑ "Prodigy, 13, to perform at KCLU anniversary event". The Acorn. 26 August 2004. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  13. ↑ Theis Duelund (30 April 2014). "The Blue Whale May Be L.A.'s Smoothest Jazz Joint". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  14. ↑ Laurent Fintoni (26 August 2012). "How Flying Lotus Built Brainfeeder, His Spiritual Little Empire". Fader. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  15. ↑ Natalie Weiner (29 July 2015). "Way Out West: How Flying Lotus, Kamasi Washington and Brainfeeder are bringing jazz back to the people". Noisey. VICE. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  16. ↑ Laura Snapes (22 November 2012). "R.I.P. Brainfeeder Affiliate and Pianist, Austin Peralta". Pitchfork. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  17. ↑ http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2013/03/austin_peralta_death_coroner_drugs.php
  18. ↑ "Flying Lotus, Robert Glasper, Flea, more react to death of Austin Peralta". CBC Music. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  19. ↑ Kai Flanders (4 June 2013). "Thundercat Haunted By Austin Peralta's Death". LA Weekly. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  20. ↑ Andy Beta (1 October 2014). "Cover Story: Flying Lotus Confronts Death". Fader. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  21. ↑ https://ninjatune.net/release/grey-reverend/a-heros-lie

External links

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