Walter Perkins (musician)

Walter Perkins (musician)
Walter "Baby Sweets" Perkins (February 10, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois – February 14, 2004 in Queens, New York) was an American jazz drummer.
Starting out in Chicago, Perkins began his professional career with Ahmad Jamal in 1956–57. He recorded for Argo Records in 1957 as a leader under the name MJT+3 with on trumpet, Nicky Hill on tenor sax, Muhal Richard Abrams on piano, and Bob Cranshaw on bass. In 1959, he regrouped under the same name with Willie Thomas on trumpet, Frank Strozier on alto sax, Harold Mabern on piano, and Cranshaw on bass; they recorded for Vee-Jay in 1959 and 1960 and played in Chicago until 1962, when he moved to New York City.
Perkins played with Sonny Rollins in 1962 and accompanied Carmen McRae in 1962–63. In 1964 he played with Art Farmer and Teddy Wilson. Following this he recorded with many musicians, including Rahsaan Roland Kirk, George Shearing, Gene Ammons, Charles Mingus, Billy Taylor, Booker Ervin, Jaki Byard, Lucky Thompson, Pat Martino, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Criss, and Charles Earland.
He died in Queens of lung cancer at the age of 72.
Discography
With MJT+3
Daddy-O Presents MJT + 3 (Argo, 1957)
Walter Perkins' MJT + 3 (Vee-Jay, 1959)
Make Everybody Happy (Vee-Jay, 1960)
MJT + 3 (Vee-Jay, 1960)
Message from Walton Street (Vee-Jay, 1960)
With Ahmed Abdul-Malik
Spellbound (Status, 1964)
With Gene Ammons
Twisting the Jug (Prestige, 1961) with Joe Newman and Jack McDuff
Soul Summit Vol. 2 (Prestige, 1962)
Late Hour Special (Prestige, 1962, [1964])
Sock! (Prestige, 1962 [1965])
With Chris Anderson
Inverted Image (Jazzland, 1961)
With Peter Brötzmann
The Ink Is Gone (2002)
With Ray Bryant
Soul (Sue, 1965)
With Jaki Byard
Out Front! (Prestige, 1964)
With Johnny Coles
Little Johnny C (Blue Note, 1963)
With Sonny Criss
Sonny Criss at the Crossroads (Peacock, 1959)
With Charles Earland
Soul Crib (Choice, 1969)
Smokin' (Muse, 1969/77 [1977])
Mama Roots (Muse, 1969/77 [1977])
With Booker Ervin
Exultation! (Prestige, 1964)
With Art Farmer
Interaction (Atlantic, 1963) with Jim Hall
Live at the Half-Note (Atlantic, 1963) with Jim Hall
With Gigi Gryce
Reminiscin' (Mercury, 1960)
With Ahmad Jamal
Count 'Em 88 (Argo, 1956)
With J. J. Johnson
J.J.'s Broadway (Verve, 1963)
With Etta Jones
Lonely and Blue (Prestige, 1962)
With Roland Kirk
Reeds & Deeds (1963)
I Talk with the Spirits (1964)
With Harold Mabern
A Few Miles from Memphis (Prestige, 1968)
With Pat Martino
Strings! (Prestige, 1967)
With Charles Mingus
Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus (Impulse!, 1963)
With Sal Nistico
Heavyweights (Jazzland, 1961)
With William Parker
Bob's Pink Cadillac (Eremite, 2000)
With Duke Pearson
Hush! (Jazzline, 1962)
With Dave Pike
Pike's Peak (Epic, 1962)
Dave Pike Plays the Jazz Version of Oliver! (Moodsville, 1963)
With Sonny Stitt
The Matadors Meet the Bull (Roulette, 1965)
What's New!!! (Roulette, 1966)
I Keep Comin' Back! (Roulette, 1966)
With Frank Strozier
Long Night (Jazzland, 1961)
With Billy Taylor
Impromptu (Mercury, 1962)
With Clark Terry
The Happy Horns of Clark Terry (Impulse!, 1964)
With Lucky Thompson
Lucky Thompson Plays Happy Days Are Here Again (Prestige, 1965)
With Bobby Timmons
Holiday Soul (1964)
With John Wright
Mr. Soul (Prestige, 1962)
External links
Walter Perkins Interview NAMM Oral History Library (1997)
References
Scott Yanow, [ Walter Perkins] at Allmusic
1932 births
2004 deaths
American jazz drummers
Jazz musicians from Chicago
Vee-Jay Records artists
20th-century American drummers
American male drummers
20th-century American male musicians
American male jazz musicians