Watch Pedrito Martínez Group & Bill Murray Light Up ‘The Tonight Show’ With ‘Ilusión Óptica’

Pedrito Martínez swung by 30 Rock on Thursday for an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The Havana-bred percussionist, singer and songwriter performed “Ilusión Óptica” accompanied by his talented band and special guest Bill Murray.

The fiery cut is the title track from Martínez’s new album, Ilusión Óptica, which arrived in May through GroundUP Music. Guests featured on the nine-track record include Bill Murray, Cimafunk, Wampi, Andy Garcia and Alexander Abreu, among others.

“This record is about opening your mind and letting your intuition interpret what you feel,” said Martínez. “My wife Maria, my daughter Ziona, and my family in general are my source of inspiration. But, also the diversity of cultures, sounds and genres of music that I had the opportunity to absorb in New York, in New Orleans, and specially in Cuba where the Afro-Cuban music and other genres are constantly renovating their sounds.”

The Pedrito Martínez Group finds the master of the Afro-Cuban folkloric music and the batá drum joined by bassist Sebastián Natal, Manuel Márquez on timbales, pianist Ahmed Alom, tenor saxophonist Mario Castro, trumpeter Jesús Ricardo and trombonist José “Xito” Lovell. Bill Murray, who, like host Jimmy Fallon, came to fame as a Saturday Night Live cast member, has shared the stage with Martínez several times in the past, including at the annual Love Rocks NYC benefit concerts.

Three dancers strutted their stuff in gorgeous pink dresses during the theatrical “Ilusión Óptica” performance. Bill Murray contributed some percussion and cracked Martínez up with some extra cymbal splashes at the end of the song.

Watch the Pedrito Martínez Group and Bill Murray perform “Ilusión Óptica” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon below: