Bill Perkins

Artist Profile:

Bill Perkins

Our show with Bill Perkins was recorded at Charlie O’s night club in Van Nuys. Playing with Don are John Heard on bass, Roy McCurdy on drums and Danny Grissett on piano.

Bill Perkins is a tenor god! It’s amazing that Bill Perkins is so little known. He is probably most famous for being a member of The Tonight Show band led by Doc Sevrinson all through the 70’s and 80’s. But Perk made some really great records in the 50’s and 60’s.

The best one was with John Lewis called ‘Grand Encounter’ on the Pacific Jazz label, but sadly this one is not in print (and it is, in my opinion, one of the 100 greatest jazz LPs of all time). Perk also made a couple of great records with Art Pepper and Richie Kamuca and played on a few memorable Chet Baker records as well. He recorded a really nice Bossa Nova LP in the very early 60’s. Perk comes from the “Lester Young” school, but he has a voice all his own. Bill is also one of the founding members of Supersax.