Austin Peralta’s Life & Death

by The Editors on January 15, 2013

Austin

The official cause of death for Stacy Peralta’s 22-year-old son Austin on November 21, 2012 has not been stated publicly, and the LA County Corner’s office won’t release their report until later this month, but that hasn’t stopped the LA Weekly from covering the jazz piano prodigy’s last night behind the keyboard and the rest of his life with a profile that is well worth reading.

The last song Peralta played that night, Nov. 20, 2012, was Charles Mingus‘ “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.” He tore into the tribute to jazz great Lester Young, for which Joni Mitchell later wrote lyrics. (“You know someone great has gone/The sweetest swinging music man…”) Natasha Agrama, who was singing, later said Peralta’s playing on that piece left her fundamentally altered.

Our thoughts remain with the Peralta family. We wish them continued strength and peace in the New Year.

[Link: LA Weekly]

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Sylvia September 10, 2014 at 10:46 pm

In all due respect, if he was playing a concert the night he died, how could he possibly die of a viral infection? sounds too hokey to me. Just doesn’t make sense. Was it a drug overdose?

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