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 majo ...

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 largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...

. He is best remembered for his performances with the

Curtis Counce Curtis Counce (January 23, 1926 – July 31, 1963) was an American hard bop and West Coast jazz double bassist. Biography Counce was born in Kansas City, Missouri and moved to California in 1945. He began recording in 1946 with Lester Young ...

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 Cliff ...

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 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 wo ...

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 "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 sym ...

-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 Paul Tanner (October 15, 1917 – February 5, 2013) was an American musician and a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. He developed and played the Electro-Theremin, a theremin soundalike instrument that is best known for its use on the B ...

, 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, gosp ...

, 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, mother of Jesus, 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 Ann ...

" (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 Gert ...

" b/w " I'll Never Smile Again" (Savoy, 1949) Single, with unknown bass and drums *'' Introducing Carl Perkins'' (Dootone, 1956) Perkins's only album as leader. With Leroy Vinnegar (b), Lawrence Marable (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 si ...

*'' Pepper Adams Quintet'' (Mode, 1957) With

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

and Art Pepper *'' Playboys'' (Pacific Jazz, 1956) With Clifford Brown and

*''The Best of Max Roach and Clifford Brown In Concert!'' (GNP, 1954) With

*'' The Curtis Counce Group'' (Contemporary, 1956) *'' You Get More Bounce with Curtis Counce!'' (Contemporary, 1957) *''

Carl's Blues ''Carl's Blues'' is an album by American jazz bassist Curtis Counce recorded in 1957 and 1958 and released on the Contemporary label.

'' (Contemporary, 1957) With Buddy DeFranco *''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 ''Vic Feldman on Vibes'', subtitled ''Champagne Music for Cats Who Don't Drink'' and also reissued as ''Mallets A Fore Thought'', is an album by vibraphonist Victor Feldman recorded in 1957 and originally released on the Mode label.Dizzy Gillespie *'' Jazz Recital'' (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 Jazz guitar may refer to either a type of electric guitar or a guitar playing style in jazz, using electric amplification to increase the volume of acoustic guitars. In the early 1930s, jazz musicians sought to amplify their sound to be he ...

'' (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 t ...

*''Collates'' (Clef, 1951) *''

Illinois Jacquet and His Orchestra ''Illinois Jacquet and His Orchestra'' (also released as ''Groovin' with Jacquet'') is an album by American jazz saxophonist Illinois Jacquet recorded in 1955 and originally released on the Clef label.Richie Kamuca *''Richie Kamuca Quartet'' (Mode, 1957) With

*''

Harold in the Land of Jazz ''Harold in the Land of Jazz'' (also released as ''Grooveyard'') is the debut studio album by saxophonist Harold Land recorded in 1958 and released on the Contemporary label.

originally titled as Grooveyard'' (Contemporary, 1958) With Oscar Moore *''Oscar Moore Trio'' (Skylark, 1954) With

*''

'' (Gene Norman Presents, 1955) With

Art Pepper Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American alto saxophonist and very occasional tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. Active in West Coast jazz, Pepper came to prominence in Stan Kenton's big band. He was known ...

*''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 Vinnegar *''

Leroy Walks! ''Leroy Walks!'' is the debut album by American jazz bassist Leroy Vinnegar recorded in 1957 and released on the Contemporary label.

'' (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