collaboration, releases Martin Perna collaboration, releases Martin Perna

Collaboration: Dos Santos new album "LOGOS" feat. Antibalas horns out 6/15/2018

About 15 years ago I was passing through Austin Texas on my way back from México. My man Adrian Quesada introduced me to musician (and at that time grad student) Alex Chávez. I moved to Austin and lived there for several years, and got to collaborate on a few occasions with Alex and the group MITOTE.

The years went by...Alex earned a Ph.D and is now a professor at Notre Dame and a few years back got an exciting new project called Dos Santos up and running out of Chicago.

Last fall, while on tour with Antibalas, we linked up again and recorded two songs for the new Dos Santos album. The session was a trip: we had very little time in between soundcheck and the gig, so they built an impromptu recording studio across the street from Thalia Hall at 606 Records. Amidst the bins of vinyl and sips of very good tequila, the four of us--Jordan McLean and Eric Biondo (trumpets), Morgan Price (tenor sax) and myself (baritone sax) knocked out the two songs with great charts by Nick Mazzarella.

Antibalas Horns Dos Santos 2017.jpg

Thanks to Dos Santos for inviting the Antibalas horns to be a part of this beautiful work.

L-R: Pete "Maestro" Vale, Martín Perna, Alex Chavez

L-R: Pete "Maestro" Vale, Martín Perna, Alex Chavez

The record is officially out 6/15/2018 on International Anthem. Preview/order the record HERE.

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Aretha Carnegie Hall Show Photos / Video

I was blessed with the role of musical director (and flutist/baritone saxophonist) for this show at Carnegie Hall last Monday, putting together charts and arrangements for Antibalas, the ace house band for 18 of the 22 songs performed onstage that evening, among them:

  • Living Colour "Rock Steady"
  • Kenny Loggins "Until you come back to me"
  • Melissa Etheridge "I Never Loved a Man"
  • Ceelo Green "The Night Time is the Right Time"
  • Taj Mahal and Deva Mahal "Chain of Fools"
  • Ledisi "Daydreaming"
  • Ruthie Foster "Natural Woman"
  • Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave) "Don't Play That Song"
  • Don Bryant (Hi Records songwriter/singer) "Drown in My Own Tears"
  • Bettye Lavette "Ain't No Way
  • G-Love "Think"
  • Todd Rundgren "Since You've Been Gone"
  • Sarah Dash (of Labelle) "Dr. Feelgood"
  • Naomi Shelton "A Change is Gonna Come"
  • Little Kids Rock "Respect"
  • Rodney Crowell "The Weight"
  • Antibalas  "Who's Zoomin' Who"
  • Full ensemble with Living Colour: "Respect" (Reprise

Here are some of photos collected from the roving eyes of the Internet.

Tonight! @antibalas @carnegiehall #arethafranklin #chainoffools @lindsay_at_compass @arteaganyc #anightoremember @btarlow @marlowgoods

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What a great evening at #citywinerynyc

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#citywinerynyc #melissaetheridge

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Antibalas with vocalist Courtney Trice at City Winery NYC 3-7-2017 / Music of Aretha Franklin Afterparty

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