Bill Perkins (saxophonist)
Bill Perkins | |
---|---|
Birth name | William Reese Perkins |
Born |
San Francisco, California, U.S. | July 22, 1924
Died |
August 10, 2003 79) Sherman Oaks, California | (aged
Genres | Cool jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | Saxophone |
Years active | 1944–2003 |
Labels | Pacific Jazz |
Associated acts |
William Reese "Bill" Perkins (July 22, 1924 – August 10, 2003 ) was a cool jazz saxophonist and flutist popular on the West Coast jazz scene, known primarily as a tenor saxophonist.[1] Born in San Francisco, California, Perkins started out performing in the big bands of Woody Herman and Jerry Wald. He also worked for the Stan Kenton orchestra, which subsequently led to his entry into the cool jazz idiom. He began performing with musicians like Art Pepper and Bud Shank, to name just a few. He was also a member of The Tonight Show Band from 1970–1992. He is probably most remembered, however, for playing tenor for The Lighthouse All-Stars. When gigs became scarce in the 1960s, Perkins had a parallel career as a recording engineer.[2]
Discography
As leader/co-leader
- The Brothers! (RCA Victor, 1955) with Al Cohn and Richie Kamuca
- Bud Shank - Shorty Rogers - Bill Perkins (Pacific Jazz, 1955) with Bud Shank
- The Bill Perkins Octet on Stage with Carl Fontana, Russ Freeman, Mel Lewis, Red Mitchell, Jack Nimitz, Art Pepper, Bud Shank, Stu Williamson, 1956
- Grand Encounter with John Lewis, Jim Hall, Percy Heath, Chico Hamilton, 1956
- Tenors Head-On with Hampton Hawes, Pete Jolly, Richie Kamuca, Stan Levey, Mel Lewis, Red Mitchell, 1956
- Just Friends with Art Pepper, Richie Kamuca, 1956
- Bossa Nova with Strings Attached, 1963
- Quietly There with Larry Bunker, Victor Feldman, Red Mitchell, John Pisano, 1966
- Confluence, 1978
- Front Line with Pepper Adams, Gordon Goodwin, Lou Levy, Bob Magnusson, Carl Burnette, 1978
- Many Ways to Go with Gordon Goodwin, Clare Fischer, Bob Magnusson, Vince Lateano, 1980
- Journey to the East with Frank Strazzeri, Joel DiBartolo, Peter Donald, 1984
- Remembrance of Dino’s with Alan Broadbent, Gene Cherico, Putter Smith, John Tirabasso, 1986
- Serious Swingers with Bud Shank (Contemporary, 1987)
- Right Chemistry with James Clay, Joel DiBartolo, Billy Mintz, Frank Strazzeri, 1987
- I Wished on the Moon with dem Metropole Orkest, 1989–90
- Two as One with Frank Strazzeri, 1990
- Our Man Woody with Rick Baptist, Wayne Bergeron, Richard Bullock, Bob Cooper, Andy Martin, Jack Nimitz, Brian Scanlon, Dave Stone, Frank Strazzeri, [1991
- Frame of Mind with Bill Berg, Ken Filiano, Clay Jenkins, Bob Leatherbarrow, Frank Strazzeri, Tom Warrington, 1993
- Perk Plays Prez with Dave Carpenter, Paul Kreibich, Jan Lundgren, Jack Sheldon, 1995
- Live at Cappozzoli’s , 2000
- Bill Perkins Danny Pucillo Quartet Plays Charles Mingus Like Nobody Else
As sideman
With Chet Baker
- Pretty/Groovy (World Pacific, 1954 [1958])
- Chet Baker Big Band (Pacific Jazz, 1956)
With Louis Bellson
- Big Band Jazz from the Summit (Roulette, 1962)
With Nat King Cole
- L-O-V-E (Capitol, 1965)
With Clifford Coulter
- Do It Now! (Impulse!, 1971)
With Clare Fischer
- Thesaurus (Atlantic, 1969)
With Dizzy Gillespie
- The New Continent (Limelight, 1962)
With Stan Kenton
- Kenton Showcase (Capitol, 1954)
- Contemporary Concepts (Capitol, 1955)
- Kenton in Hi-Fi (Capitol, 1956)
- Kenton with Voices (Capitol, 1957)
- Rendezvous with Kenton (Capitol, 1957)
- Back to Balboa (Capitol, 1958)
- The Ballad Style of Stan Kenton (Capitol, 1958)
- The Stage Door Swings (Capitol, 1958)
- Kenton / Wagner (Capitol, 1964)
- Stan Kenton Conducts the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra (Capitol, 1965)
With Barney Kessel
- To Swing or Not to Swing (Contemporary, 1955)
With Carmen McRae
- Can't Hide Love (Blue Note, 1976)
With Art Pepper and Conte Candoli
- Mucho Calor (Andex, 1957)
With André Previn
- The Subterraneans (Soundtrack) (MGM, 1960)
With Shorty Rogers
- Shorty Rogers Plays Richard Rodgers (RCA Victor, 1957)
- Afro-Cuban Influence (RCA Victor, 1958)
- Shorty Rogers Meets Tarzan (MGM, 1960)
- The Swingin' Nutcracker (RCA Victor, 1960)
- An Invisible Orchard (RCA Victor, 1961 [1997])
- Jazz Waltz (Reprise, 1962)
With Pete Rugolo
- 10 Saxophones and 2 Basses (Mercury, 1961)
With Lalo Schifrin
- Bullitt (soundtrack) (Warner Bros., 1968)
With Bud Shank
- Bud Shank & the Sax Section (Pacific Jazz, 1966)
With Gerald Wilson
- California Soul (Pacific Jazz, 1968)
References
- ↑ Thurber, Jon (12 August 2003). "Bill Perkins, 79; Saxophonist Who Played With Kenton, Herman Bands Was Key Figure in Jazz". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ Yanow, Scott. "Bill Perkins Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2007-06-24.