Walter Perkins

Who was Walter Perkins?

Walter "Baby Sweets" Perkins was an American jazz drummer.

Starting out as a fixture in the Chicago jazz scene, Perkins' first major gigs were with Ahmad Jamal in 1956–57. He recorded for Argo Records in 1957 as a leader under the name MJT+3, along with Paul Serrano 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.

He played with Sonny Rollins in 1962 and accompanied Carmen McRae in 1962–63. 1964 saw him playing with Art Farmer and Teddy Wilson. Following this Perkins recorded with countless jazz figures, including Rahsaan Roland Kirk, George Shearing, Gene Ammons, Charles Mingus, Billy Taylor, Booker Ervin, Jaki Byard, Lucky Thompson, Pat Martino, Sonny Stitt, Sonny Criss, Charles Earland.