Bill Perkins | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | William Reese Perkins |
| Born | July 22, 1924 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | August 9, 2003 (aged 79) Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Saxophone |
| Years active | 1944–2003 |
| Labels | Pacific Jazz |
William Reese Perkins (July 22, 1924 – August 9, 2003)[1] was an American cool jazz saxophonist and flutist, popular on the West Coast jazz scene, known primarily as a tenor saxophonist.[1]
Born in San Francisco, California, United States, Perkins started performing in the big bands of Woody Herman and Jerry Wald.[2] He worked for the Stan Kenton orchestra, which led to his entry into the cool jazz idiom.[2] He began performing with Art Pepper and Bud Shank.[2] 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.[3]
He died of cancer in his Sherman Oaks home at the age of 79.[1]