Carl Perkins (pianist)

Biography

Perkins was born in Indianapolis but worked mainly in Los Angeles. He is best known for his performances with the Curtis Counce Quintet, which also featured Harold Land, Jack Sheldon and drummer Frank Butler. He also performed with Tiny Bradshaw, Big Jay McNeely in 1948-49, and played dates with Miles Davis 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 group in 1954. He recorded with Frank Morgan in 1955, and with his own group in 1956. Perkins composed the standard "Grooveyard".

His playing was influenced by his polio-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, piano players, but his early death prevented him from leaving a legacy.

As leader

Shared leadership

As sideman

With Pepper Adams

With Chet Baker and Art Pepper

With Clifford Brown and Max Roach

With Curtis Counce

With Buddy DeFranco

With Victor Feldman

With Dizzy Gillespie

With Dexter Gordon

With Jim Hall

With Illinois Jacquet

With Richie Kamuca

With Harold Land

With Oscar Moore

With Frank Morgan

With Art Pepper

With Stuff Smith

With Leroy Vinnegar