May 5 , 2008: NEW WORKS/COLLABORATIONS :

Ocote Soul Sounds and Adrian Quesada's "The Alchemist Manifesto," comes out: JUNE 10, 2008 on ESL Music, featuring 12 new songs, plus remixes by Nickodemus, Chico Mann, and Toy from Sonidero Nacional/Control Machete. Recent live performances include the MACC (Mexican American Cultural Center) and the Heman Sweatt Symposium on Civil Rights at the University of Texas-Austin.

Scarlett Johansson's opus "Anywhere I Lay My Head"" drops 5/20/2008 on Rhino, with an all star cast including David Sitek and Jaleel Bunton (TV on the Radio), David Bowie, Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), Ryan Sawyer, and Stuart Bogie and myself.

ANTIBALAS's latest record "SECURITY" is out on CD on Anti/Epitaph Records and vinyl (finally!) on DAPTONE. We just completed an exhilariting tour in UK, France, Belgium, and Ile Reunion and have some performances in Los Angeles, Austin, Paris, and Dublin later this summer. Check our myspace page for dates.

In The WORKS:

TV on the Radio is making another album, in my humble opinion their best AND funkiest to date. Hopefully my horns and flutes will stick to the final mixes and travel into your ears later this summer.

Taller Buscando El Monte Afrocuban Percussion Ensemble (Austin, TX) is gaining momentum. Our recent performances include the opening reception of the Black Arts Festival, two benefits for the Zapatista community of Blanca Navidad, and a performance at Casa Marianella, a shelter for recently-arrived immigrants. Upcoming shows: 4/5 @ Jovita's, Austin, TX.

Other recent performances: a rare solo appearance at Ruta Maya for a PODER / Highlander Center benefit, and a tribute to raulrsalinas at the Mexican American Cultural Center.

COMMUNITY in AUSTIN, TX:

REGISTER TO VOTE NOW! That's right, I'm a Deputy Voter Registrar in Travis County. We need to get people registered and organized ASAP for this November and beyond. Do you have a record? If you've served out your time, probation and have paid all court fines your voting privileges are restored, but you still need to register. Make your voice heard!

Austin, TX Quilombo Garden Collective. Want to grow organic foods in East Austin and link up with like-minded individuals? Get in touch. We have 30,000 square feet in E/NE Austin awaiting your seeds and love.

"Buscando El Monte" Afrocuban Percussion Workshop is up and running here in East Austin. We are learning primarily traditional conga habanera and conga santiagüera rhythms (often called comparsas) under the tutelage of Leonel Rojas Estevez we are looking for more drummers, dancers, singers and trumpeter/trombonists.

YESTERDAY's News:

Rhythm Roots Allstars passed through Austin a few weeks ago backing Ghostface Killah at the Parish. Their live set was amazing, and I got to sit in with them on a version of Tony Allen's "Jealousy." Their opening set ended too short but they held it down strong with the classic Wu-Tang tracks behind Ghostface. From Austin they went on to Houston, Atlanta, and Raleigh.

Other recent work: Hear Stuart Bogie and I go crazy on the new record by Celebration produced by David Sitek of TV on the Radio on 4AD.

I play shekere recent debut album by Brownout, masters of latin funk and breakbeats.

Congratulations to the Spam Allstars, de Miami, on their new album "Electrodomésticos." The group is amazing, and I was fortunate to be invited to record along with Pee Wee Ellis (former James Brown saxophonist) and many other top notch musicians. Do not miss them live!

Crystal Top Presents is a new album featuring a brand new song called "Cariño" from my Ocote Soul Sounds. Click on the album to listen...

Loveconjureblues is a multimedia poetry/visual/music/movement piece in the jazz aesthetic dreamed up by the warrior poet Sharon Bridgforth and brought to life by collaborators from Austin and elsewhere. I contributed music and parts of the visual were filmed in our garden. Follow the developments online...

Also new out: Finally! A collaboration with one of my favorite Austin DJs, Chicken George. He jumped on a version of Ocote Soul Sounds/Adrian Quesada's "Overthrowed" on DJ Chicken George Presents: The Swed.u.s.h Connection 2 (Swedish Brandy)" Also on the EP are Illvibe Collective with Lady Alma, Nick Nack, and J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science.

COMING SOON:

June Tunes--the audiovisual sequel to Electric Tides--is in the making with Rilkeanheart.org.

COMMUNITY STUFF in AUSTIN, TX:

REGISTER TO VOTE NOW! That's right, I'm a Deputy Voter Registrar in Travis County. We need to get people registered and organized ASAP for this November and beyond. Do you have a record? If you've served out your time, probation and have paid all court fines your voting privileges are restored, but you still need to register. Make your voice heard!

Austin, TX Quilombo Garden Collective. Want to grow organic foods in East Austin and link up with like-minded individuals? Get in touch. We have 30,000 square feet in E/NE Austin awaiting your seeds and love.

"Buscando El Monte" Afrocuban Percussion Workshop is up and running here in East Austin. We are learning primarily traditional conga habanera and conga santiagüera rhythms (often called comparsas) under the tutelage of Leonel Rojas Estevez we are looking for more drummers, dancers, singers and trumpeter/trombonists.

RECENT WORKS by Martin Perna / Ocote Soul Sounds and friends.

OCOTE SOUL SOUNDS (solo) ELECTRIC TIDES movie! 21st century digital lamentos. Music by Martín Perna, moving images by Kori Girard, Isaiah Seret, Jessica Klein and Rafael Altman.

Electric Tides Parts One and TWO (lo-res)

The BLACKOUT! coloring book is on the streets. An unforgettable story making light of the darkness on 32 pages of 100% recycled paper. In August 06 we did readings in New York and Berkeley, CA, in December at Resistencia Books, February 07 at Monkeywrench Books Austin, TX, and in March at Book People, Austin, TX. You want it? Buy it!

Ocote Soul Sounds and Adrian Quesada's "El Niño y El Sol" CD/LP is now out on ESL Music. The album, along with Thievery Corporation and Quantic remixes are up on iTunes.