Motian in Motion celebrates the ECM artist as he drums his way through the Village Vanguard, Birdland, the Blue Note, and beyond. Halfway through Motian in Motion, a […]
Austin Peralta in the Zone: Brainfeeder Reissues ‘Endless Planets,’ Celebrates a Life Cut Short

Those fortunate enough to have seen the brilliant jazz pianist Austin Peralta before his heart wrenching death in 2011 at 22 understand the bittersweet thrills of listening to his 2011 album Endless Planets. Bittersweet because the jaw-droppingly great album sounds as tight and timeless now as when the young Peralta released it, but listening to it offers a raw reminder of a generational talent who had so much dormant music lying in wait and ready to seep into the world through. Unheard, unimagined music that vanished with its vessel.
A few weeks ago Brainfeeder issued a deluxe edition of Endless Planets with extra tracks, in the process reminding us of a prodigal LA voice whose life was cruelly cut short. Peralta released his first solo album at 15 and his second at 17. He didn’t consider either of those records to be his records, as the young, impressionable musician felt pressure by producer to create a specific type of jazz record.
It wasn’t until Peralta and Flying Lotus connected that the pianist-composer was able to produce a studio album worthy of his ambition and untainted by outside interests.
“I don’t think art can or should be classified into earthly conventions,” Peralta once said. “True art defies categorization and transcends boundaries and shouldn’t be looked at through a lens of ‘earthly’ or ‘not earthly.’ If you let it wash over you and carry you away, that experience may not feel like anything you’ve ever experienced here on Earth. It can be the doorway into an infinitude of worlds.”
In October, 2008, Peralta sat down for a filmed interview for a documentary by Tao Ruspoli called “Being in the World.” Peralta, the son of Z-Boys skateboarder and director Stacy Peralta, had recently turned 18. By then, he’d toured Europe and Japan, and over the next four years spent countless nights around the LA jazz scene, gigging at the Blue Whale, the Del Monte Speakeasy and elsewhere. His collaborators during these sets included musicians including Flying Lotus, Sam Gendel, Thundercat, Louis Cole, Miguel Atwood Ferguson and Carlos Niño.

Footage of Peralta in performance can be found on YouTube, but there’s not enough. Thankfully, what does exist is of good quality.
In early 2011, Peralta, Thundercat and drummer Gene Coyle set up in Flying Lotus’s LA living room for a rainy day improvised set. It was broadcast live on BBC Radio 1. Peralta had recently turned 20.
The new deluxe edition is the first time Endless Planets has been available on vinyl, and Brainfeeder has gone all out, per the release description: “Limited edition 2LP black vinyl with printed inners housed in a gatefold sleeve with spot varnish detailing. Includes bonus disc with previously unreleased live session tracks and MP3 album download code. Original artwork by Strangeloop reworked by Adam Stover and Sean Preston. Portrait on inner sleeve by John S. Couch. Photography by Spencer Davis. Creative direction by JC Caldwell.”
Credits:
Acoustic Bass – Hamilton Price
Alto Saxophone – Zane Musa
Artwork – Strangeloop
Artwork, Layout – Adam Stover, Sean Preston
Composed By – Austin Peralta
Drums – Zach Harmon
Electronics [Electronic Manipulation] – Strangeloop
Engineer – Kevin Majorino
Executive-Producer – Flying Lotus
Mastered By – Daddy Kev
Mixed By – Austin Peralta, Paul Pesco
Piano – Austin Peralta
Producer – Austin Peralta, Paul Pesco
Tenor Saxophone – Ben Wendel