Gene Perla (born March 1, 1940) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

bassist.

Career

At the

Berklee School of Music Berklee College of Music () is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level ...

and the

Boston Conservatory Boston Conservatory at Berklee (formerly The Boston Conservatory) is a private performing arts conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts. It grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in dance, music, and theater. Boston Conservatory was founded o ...

Perla concentrated on piano before moving to double bass. In 1969 he spent one year as a member of the

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roo ...

Orchestra. During the early 1970s, he worked with

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such albums as ''My Fa ...

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American retired jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, Rollins recorded over sixt ...

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (, March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer and pianist. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "List of nicknames of jazz musicians, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

, and

The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra was a jazz big band formed by trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis in New York in 1965.Lisik/Allen. 50 Years at the Village Vanguard:Thad Jone, Mel Lewis and the Village Vanguard Orchestra. Sky Deck ...

. In 1975 he started the band Stone Alliance with

Don Alias Charles "Don" Alias (December 25, 1939 – March 28, 2006) was an American jazz percussionist. Alias was best known for playing congas and other hand drums. He was also a capable drum kit performer. He played drums on the song "Miles Runs the V ...

and Steve Grossman. Also in the 1970s he founded

PM Records PM Records is a jazz label established by Gene Perla in 1973. PM released recordings by Dave Liebman, Steve Grossman, Elvin Jones, Bernie Senensky, Don Thompson, Pat LaBarbera, and Ed Bickert. Perla played bass on 31 of PM's 46 albums released to th ...

("PM" for Perla Music), which released albums by Steve Grossman, Elvin Jones,

Pat LaBarbera Pat (Pascel Emmanuel) LaBarbera (born April 7, 1944) is an American-born Canadian jazz tenor, alto and soprano saxophonist, clarinetist, and flautist born in Mt. Morris, New York, most notable for his work as a soloist in Buddy Rich bands from ...

, and

Dave Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received a ...

. He has taught at Lehigh University and the New School of Jazz & Contemporary Music.

Discography

As leader

* ''Stone Alliance ~ Stone Alliance'' (PM, 1976) * ''Stone Alliance ~ Marcio Montarroyos'' (PM, 1977) * ''Stone Alliance ~ Con Amigos'' (PM, 1977) * ''Stone Alliance ~ Heads Up'' (PM, 1980) * ''Stone Alliance ~ Live In Amsterdam'' (PM, 2004) * ''Stone Alliance ~ Live In Bremen'' (PM, 2005) * ''Stone Alliance ~ Live In Buenos Aires'' (PM, 2006) * ''Bill's Waltz'' (PM, 2008) * ''Stone Alliance ~ Live In Berlin'' (PM, 2010) * ''Out of the Gate'' (PM, 2017) * ''Stone Alliance ~ Galvanic Ignition'' (PM, 2018) * ''Stone Alliance ~ In The Pocket'' (PM, 2022)

As sideman

With

* ''

Genesis Genesis may refer to: Religion * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of humankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Bo ...

'' (Blue Note, 1971) * ''

Merry-Go-Round A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (International English), or galloper (British English) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The seats are tradit ...

'' (Blue Note, 1971) * '' Mr. Jones'' (Blue Note, 1972) * '' Live at the Lighthouse'' (Blue Note, 1972) * ''Hollow Out'' with

Masabumi Kikuchi was a Japanese jazz pianist and composer known for his unique playing style. He worked with many diverse musicians, including Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Gary Peacock and Paul Motian, and collaborated with Gil Evans and ...

(Philips, 1972) * '' At This Point in Time'' (Blue Note, 1973) * '' Elvin Jones is "On the Mountain"'' (PM, 1975) * '' New Agenda'' (Vanguard, 1975) * '' The Truth: Heard Live at the Blue Note'' (Half Note, 1999) With

Jeremy Steig Jeremy Steig (September 23, 1942 – April 13, 2016)Peter Keepnews, "Jeremy ...

* ''

Energy Energy () is the physical quantity, quantitative physical property, property that is transferred to a physical body, body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of Work (thermodynamics), work and in the form of heat and l ...

'' (Capitol, 1971) * '' Fusion'' (Groove Merchant, 1972) With

Nina Simone Nina Simone ( ; born Eunice Kathleen Waymon; February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) was an American singer, pianist, songwriter, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and po ...

* '' To Love Somebody'' (RCA Victor, 1968) * '' Here Comes the Sun'' (RCA Victor, 1971) * ''A Very Rare Evening'' (PM, 1979) With others *

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...

, ''

The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions ''The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions'' were recorded in April 1970 by Miles Davis, and released in September 2003. These sessions formed the basis for the 1971 album '' Jack Johnson'', as well as some of the studio portions of '' Live-Evil''. Tr ...

'' (Columbia, 1970) * Frank Foster, '' The Loud Minority'' (Mainstream, 1972) *

Mickey Tucker Mickey Tucker (born Michael B. Tucker; April 28, 1941) is an American jazz pianist and organist. Biography Tucker was born in Durham, North Carolina in 1941. He grew up in Rankin, Pennsylvania before moving back to North Carolina aged 12. When h ...

, ''

Triplicity In astrology, a triplicity is a group of three signs belonging to the same element. Trines Astrology assumes that each sign of the same triplicity is 120 degrees apart, forming angles to one another called trines, which are each equivalent to th ...

'' (Xanadu, 1975)

References

External links

Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perla, Gene 1940 births Living people People from Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey 20th-century American bass guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American jazz bass guitarists American male bass guitarists American male jazz musicians Berklee College of Music alumni Musicians from Bergen County, New Jersey