Perla studied as a pianist at the Berklee College of Music and the Boston Conservatory of Music. He eventually switched to bass and picked up notable experience with Woody Herman's Orchestra (1969-70), the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra, Sarah Vaughan, Elvin Jones (1971-73) and Sonny Rollins. In the mid-1970's Perla formed the PM (Perla Music) label and a little later also ran Plug; among the musicians that he recorded were Dave Liebman, Elvin Jones, Steve Grossman, Pat LaBarbera and (for Plug) Jerry Bergonzi among others. Perla formed the group Stone Alliance (which also included Grossman and percussionist Don Alias) in 1975 and has remained quite active as both a bassist and as a jazz educator up to the present time. ~ Scott Yanow