Bill Perkins

William Reese Perkins ((1924-07-22)July 22, 1924 – (2003-08-10)August 10, 2003) was an American cool jazz saxophonist and flutist, popular on the West Coast jazz scene, known primarily as a tenor saxophonist.

Born in San Francisco, California, United States, Perkins started performing in the big bands of Woody Herman and Jerry Wald. He worked for the Stan Kenton orchestra, which led to his entry into the cool jazz idiom. He began performing with Art Pepper and Bud Shank. He was also a member of The Tonight Show Band from 1970 to 1992 and The Lighthouse All-Stars. In the 1960s, Perkins had a second career as a recording engineer.

He died of cancer in his Sherman Oaks home at the age of 79.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 22, 1924 (San Francisco), Died August 9, 2003 (Sherman Oaks)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1957

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, banjo, tenor saxophone

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh W404411 10-in. 10/9/1930 Body and soul Louis Armstrong ; Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, banjo  
OKeh W404412 10-in. 10/16/1930 Memories of you Louis Armstrong ; Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404413 10-in. 10/16/1930 You're lucky to me Louis Armstrong ; Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra Jazz/ dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404417 10-in. 12/23/1930 Sweethearts on parade Louis Armstrong ; Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and shouts instrumentalist, guitar, banjo  
OKeh W404418 10-in. 12/23/1930 You're driving me crazy! (What did I do?) Louis Armstrong ; Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with dialogue and male vocal solo instrumentalist, banjo  
OKeh W404419 10-in. 12/23/1930 The peanut vendor Louis Armstrong ; Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, banjo  
OKeh W404420 10-in. 3/9/1931 Just a gigolo Louis Armstrong ; Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
OKeh W404421 10-in. 3/9/1931 Shine Louis Armstrong ; Sebastian New Cotton Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, banjo, guitar  
Decca DLA 724 10-in. 2/26/1937 Body and soul Art Tatum and his Swingsters instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 725 10-in. 2/26/1937 With plenty of money and you Art Tatum and his Swingsters instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 726 10-in. 2/26/1937 What will I tell my heart? Art Tatum and his Swingsters instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca DLA 727 10-in. 2/26/1937 I've got my love to keep me warm Art Tatum and his Swingsters instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca L 9809 1/21/1957 Cluster John Graas Sextet instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca L 9810 1/21/1957 Canon frair-1 John Graas Sextet instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca L 9811 1/21/1957 Mood-2 John Graas Sextet instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca L 9812 1/21/1957 I'm confessin' that I love you John Graas Sextet instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Perkins, Bill," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/207836.

Perkins, Bill. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/207836.

"Perkins, Bill." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/207836

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