Carl Perkins (August 16, 1928 – March 17, 1958) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

pianist.

Biography

Perkins was born in Indianapolis but worked mainly in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

. He is best remembered for his performances with the Curtis Counce Quintet, which also featured

Harold Land Harold de Vance Land (December 18, 1928 – July 27, 2001) was an American hard bop and post-bop tenor saxophonist. Land developed his hard bop playing with the Max Roach/ Clifford Brown band into a personal, modern style, often rivalling Cliffo ...

Jack Sheldon Beryl Cyril Sheldon Jr. (November 30, 1931 – December 27, 2019), known professionally as Jack Sheldon, was an American singer, musician, and actor. He performed on '' The Merv Griffin Show'' and participated in episodes of the educational musi ...

and drummer Frank Butler. He also performed with

Tiny Bradshaw Myron Carlton "Tiny" Bradshaw (September 23, 1907 – November 26, 1958)
- accessed July 2010 was an American

, Big Jay McNeely in 1948–49, and played dates with

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...

in 1950. Following a short stint in the Army (January 1951 to November 1952), he worked intermittently with the

Oscar Moore Oscar Frederic Moore (December 25, 1916 – October 8, 1981) was an American jazz guitarist with the Nat King Cole Trio. Career The son of a blacksmith, Moore was born in Austin, Texas, United States. The Moore family moved to Phoenix, Ariz ...

Trio (1953-1955) and the Clifford Brown–

Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in history. He work ...

group in 1954. He recorded with

Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous sound ...

in 1955, and with his own group in 1956. Perkins composed the

standard Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object th ...

"Grooveyard". His playing was influenced by his

polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...

-affected left arm, which he held parallel to the keyboard. He used his elbow to play deep bass notes. He was thus known as "the crab". He died of a drug overdose at age 29, in Los Angeles, California. He recorded one album, ''Introducing Carl Perkins'', and a short series of singles under his own name. Authors Paul Tanner, Maurice Gerow, and David Megill cite Perkins as one of the best "funky", or

hard bop Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospe ...

, piano players, but his early death prevented him from leaving a legacy.

Discography

As leader

*" Summertime" b/w "Lullaby in Rhythm" (Savoy, 1949) Single, with Edwin Perkins (b), Herb Williams (d) *"The Rosary" b/w "

Ave Maria The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's ...

" (Savoy, 1949) Single, with unknown bass and drums *"

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is a show tune written by American composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harbach for the 1933 musical '' Roberta''. The song was sung in the Broadway show by Tamara Drasin. Its first recorded performance was by Ge ...

" b/w "

I'll Never Smile Again "I'll Never Smile Again" is a 1939 song written by Ruth Lowe. It has been recorded by many other artists since, becoming a standard. The most successful and best-known million selling single version of the song was recorded by Tommy Dorsey an ...

" (Savoy, 1949) Single, with unknown bass and drums *''

Introducing Carl Perkins ''Introducing Carl Perkins'' is the sole album led by American jazz pianist Carl Perkins recorded in 1955 and released on the Dootone label the following year.

'' (Dootone, 1956) Perkins's only album as leader. With

Leroy Vinnegar Leroy Vinnegar (July 13, 1928 – August 3, 1999) was an American jazz bassist. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, the self-taught Vinnegar established his reputation in Los Angeles, California, during the 1950s and 1960s. His trade ...

(b),

Lawrence Marable Larance Norman Marable (May 21, 1929 – July 4, 2012) was a jazz drummer from Los Angeles, California. Early life Marable was born in Los Angeles on May 21, 1929. His family was musical, but he was largely self-taught. Later life and career In ...

(d)

Shared leadership

*''Jazz Pianists Galore'' (Pacific, 1957) Perkins plays on one track *''Piano Playhouse'' (Mode, 1957) Perkins plays four solo tracks; others are by Jimmy Rowles, Lou Levy, Paul Smith, Gerald Wiggins

As sideman

With

Pepper Adams Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a s ...

*''

Pepper Adams Quintet ''Pepper Adams Quintet'' (reissued as ''Pepper Adams 5''), is the debut album by baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams recorded in 1957 and originally released on the Mode label.

'' (Mode, 1957) With Chet Baker and Art Pepper *'' Playboys'' (Pacific Jazz, 1956) With Clifford Brown and

*''The Best of Max Roach and Clifford Brown In Concert!'' (GNP, 1954) With Curtis Counce *'' The Curtis Counce Group'' (Contemporary, 1956) *'' You Get More Bounce with Curtis Counce!'' (Contemporary, 1957) *'' Carl's Blues'' (Contemporary, 1957) With

Buddy DeFranco Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco (February 17, 1923 – December 24, 2014) was an Italian-American jazz clarinetist. In addition to his work as a bandleader, DeFranco led the Glenn Miller Orchestra for almost a decade in the 1960s and ...

*''Plays Benny Goodman'' (Verve, 1957) *''Wholly Cats'' (Verve, 1957) *''Closed Session'' (Verve, 1957) *''I Hear Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw'' (Verve, 1957) With

Victor Feldman Victor Stanley Feldman (7 April 1934 – 12 May 1987) was an English jazz musician who played mainly piano, vibraphone, and percussion. He began performing professionally during childhood, eventually earning acclaim in the UK jazz scene as ...

*'' Vic Feldman on Vibes'' (Mode, 1957) With Dizzy Gillespie *''

Jazz Recital ''Jazz Recital'' (also released as ''Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra'') is an album by the trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, recorded in 1954 and 1955 and released on the Norgran label. It consists of quintet, sextet and jazz orchestra tracks.

'' (Norgran, 1955) With

Dexter Gordon Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and actor. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gi ...

*'' Dexter Blows Hot and Cool'' (Dootone, 1955) With Jim Hall *'' Jazz Guitar'' (Pacific Jazz, 1957) With

Illinois Jacquet Jean-Baptiste "Illinois" Jacquet (October 30, 1922 – July 22, 2004) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, best remembered for his solo on " Flying Home", critically recognized as the first R&B saxophone solo. Although he was a pioneer of ...

*''Collates'' (Clef, 1951) *'' Illinois Jacquet and His Orchestra'' (Verve, 1956) With

Richie Kamuca Richie Kamuca (July 23, 1930 – July 22, 1977) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Musical career Kamuca was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and, like many players associated with West Coast jazz, grew up in the East befo ...

*''Richie Kamuca Quartet'' (Mode, 1957) With

*'' Harold in the Land of Jazz originally titled as Grooveyard'' (Contemporary, 1958) With

*''Oscar Moore Trio'' (Skylark, 1954) With

*''

'' (Gene Norman Presents, 1955) With Art Pepper *''The Complete Art Pepper Aladdin Recordings'' (Blue Note, 1957) The Perkins recordings were released long after recording With

Stuff Smith Hezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith (August 14, 1909 – September 25, 1967), better known as Stuff Smith, was an American jazz violinist. He is well known for the song " If You're a Viper" (the original title was "You'se a Viper"). Smith was, al ...

*''Have Violin, Will Swing'' (Verve, 1957) With

*'' Leroy Walks!'' (Contemporary, 1958)

References

External links

Comprehensive Carl Perkins DiscographyCurtis Counce featuring Perkins
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perkins, Carl 1928 births 1958 deaths Musicians from Indianapolis 20th-century American pianists American jazz pianists American male pianists Bebop pianists Drug-related deaths in California West Coast jazz pianists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians American musicians with disabilities