Bill Perkins RIP

[Dr. Rat]

This, byt he way, is a great thread. I only wish I'd seen it when Perkins passed. This would have added something to our memorial.

Thanks to all you reminiscers (sp?)

--eric

[garthsj]

Bill Perkins has always been one of my favorite jazz musicians, and it was always a terrific pleasure to see him working his butt off on those 4-day West Coast jazz weekends put together by Ken Poston. He appeared everywhere, small groups, big bands, and even the occasional panel discussions (he was basically a shy person) ... a great gentleman and a wonderful musician. For those not too acquainted with his history and his music, it should be noted that he made a dramatic shift in style sometime on the 1970s. He became very interested in John Coltrane, and moved toward a more "open" style, and a somewhat harsher tone .. essentially away from Lester, and toward Coltrane. This did not sit too well with many of the West Coast fans, who can be very stodgy and reluctant to accepy a change in the style they all grew up with (after all, most of us are now over 60!!). But Perk continued to make inventive music up until his death .. he is greatly missed on the scene.

The seminal "Grand Encounter" album has already been mentioned, and it is one of my all-time desert island albums, even though it has less that 35 minutes of music. Here are a few others that I would highly recommend.

[garthsj]

Here are two more ... illustrating the two different styles....

[mikeweil]

There was some discussion here about the one or two alternate takes from the Grand Encounter sessions issued on a Vogue disc, but I can't find it - anyone here to help me? There is a Poll Winners reissue that includes only one alternate - 2 degrees etc. - were the two version of Love Or Leave Me identical?

[sidewinder]

Bill Perkins has always been one of my favorite jazz musicians, and it was always a terrific pleasure to see him working his butt off on those 4-day West Coast jazz weekends put together by Ken Poston. He appeared everywhere, small groups, big bands, and even the occasional panel discussions (he was basically a shy person) ... a great gentleman and a wonderful musician. 

That is very true. The one time I saw him at one of those West Coast weekends he appeared in a lot of lineups, participating with great enthusiasm. Played most of the time on baritone, I recall..

[JSngry]

There was some discussion here about the one or two alternate takes from the Grand Encounter sessions issued on a Vogue disc, but I can't find it - anyone here to help me? There is a Poll Winners reissue that includes only one alternate - 2 degrees etc. - were the two version of Love Or Leave Me identical?

Not at all, totally different. The alternate is pretty uptempo, quite a difference!

[mjzee]

There was some discussion here about the one or two alternate takes from the Grand Encounter sessions issued on a Vogue disc, but I can't find it - anyone here to help me? There is a Poll Winners reissue that includes only one alternate - 2 degrees etc. - were the two version of Love Or Leave Me identical?

James Harrod discovered the alternate takes.  He told us about it in this thread, and they can be downloaded here (scroll to the bottom of the page).

[AllenLowe]

i gotta say I neglected Perkins (probably heard some of the later less comfortable things) until Larry straightened me out and then I went back and now think he just had the most wonderful soul. Floated right by me (or over me) at first, however.

[JSngry]

The EP in question that contains the alternates, I found with no difficulty on Musicstack, from a great seller from the UK, and a totally reasonable price (shipping cost more than the record). Can't say that I find the item for sale anywhere right now, but it does turn up from time to time, and is a great "object", as well as a musical treat.The first time I played it, it was like, wow, worm hole or something, parallel universe. So, collectors who have fun with that kind of thing(a 45 sounds different than an LP, always), take note/heart/whatever, it is obtainable.

There was some discussion here about the one or two alternate takes from the Grand Encounter sessions issued on a Vogue disc, but I can't find it - anyone here to help me? There is a Poll Winners reissue that includes only one alternate - 2 degrees etc. - were the two version of Love Or Leave Me identical?

Not at all, totally different. The alternate is pretty uptempo, quite a difference!

My bad, it's the alternate of "Almost Like Being In Love" that's a radically different tempo.

[JSngry]

i gotta say I neglected Perkins (probably heard some of the later less comfortable things) until Larry straightened me out and then I went back and now think he just had the most wonderful soul. Floated right by me (or over me) at first, however.

Early Perkins, with Woody's band and the Grand Encounter date, was very, very special. Float indeed, I swear, nobody else had that going on like he did. He kinda leveled out a little after  awhile, probably inevitable, and certainly not a bad thing. But that earliest stuff, oh my god...Warne had it it, but in a different way. Perk seemed to have that grasp that floating was predicated on having space on all sides of you, not just in time, or just in sound, but in every way, presence, to float means to be ther and not be there at the same time, perhaps that the ultimate lesson of Lester Young, how to be there and not be there at the same time.

I've always loved his solo on "Pomp Stomp", an otherwise trivial piece of "swinging big band" from the Woody Herman Capitol days. When Perk plays, it's suddenly - and quite briefly - transformed into a whole 'nother thing. Woody had any number of good to great tenor players of the "Brothers" school in his bands over the years, but for my tastes, none of them were as transformative as Bill Perkins.

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=126915691&m=126907415

And do what you gotta do to get this one:

[mikeweil]

Thanks all - no need to get the Poll Winners CD!

[ArtSalt]

i gotta say I neglected Perkins (probably heard some of the later less comfortable things) until Larry straightened me out and then I went back and now think he just had the most wonderful soul. Floated right by me (or over me) at first, however.

Early Perkins, with Woody's band and the Grand Encounter date, was very, very special. Float indeed, I swear, nobody else had that going on like he did.

The Grand Encounter is something special, but you have to be in the mood.....I've gone to put that on for people trying to get them into jazz: "Just listen to this hipsters, flipsters and finger popping daddies......" And then had to walk away in embarrassment.