The Hang Ft. Martín Perna

Don’t miss SJZ’s newest program exploring the music of exciting artists and the music that inspires them. This edition of “The Hang,” features Antibalas founder Martín Perna.

Come down early to have a drink and hang with friends and SJZ staff while listening to deep cuts from vinyl LPs personally chosen by David earlier in the day at one of Downtown San Jose’s prime album spots, Needle to the Groove. Needle drop is 7pm, sharp! At 8pm, Perna and his band will perform live. After the concert, feel free to grab another drink and hang with the band for a chat from 8:45–9:30. Check out The Hang. It's part sophisticated listening session, part vinyl night, part live jazz performance, part discussion... and all hang.

Martín Perna is a saxophonist and multidisciplinary artist who has been making music for over thirty years. Best known as founder of Grammy Award-nominated Afrobeat collective Antibalas and co-founder of Ocote Soul Sounds, he was also a founding member of The Dap Kings. His flutes, saxophones, percussion and production are featured on over 100 albums by artists including Ed Sheeran, The Roots, Mark Ronson and Angélique Kidjo.

Perna has served as musical director at Carnegie Hall for all-star tribute concerts to Paul Simon, David Byrne/Talking Heads and Aretha Franklin, plus Billie Holiday at the Apollo Theater. A 2020 Grammy nominee for Best Global Music Album for Antibalas' Fu Chronicles, he composed and performed the soundtrack for the 2022 PBS American Masters documentary Roberta.

As a multidisciplinary artist, he authored the children's book BLACKOUT!, practices superadobe architecture and has created performance art collaborations. He's a lecturer at UC Berkeley when not touring internationally, playing exclusively baritone reeds on vintage saxophones including a 1961 Selmer Mark VI.