Herbert Harper (2 July 1920 — 21 January 2012) was an American jazz trombonist of the West Coast jazz school.
Born in Salina, Kansas, he first started playing swing music with Benny Goodman and Charlie Spivak in the 1940s and 1950s. Working on the West Coast jazz scene, he performed with such musicians as Stan Kenton, Bill Perkins and Maynard Ferguson, among others.
In June 1949, he was a member of the band backing Billie Holiday on her famous Just Jazz radio broadcast for AFRS in Los Angeles. Other band members were Neal Hefti (trumpet), Herbie Steward (clarinet, tenor saxophone), Jimmy Rowles (piano), Robert "Iggy" Shevak (bass) and Roy "Blinky" Garner (drums).
In 1954, he recorded several sessions as a member of Steve White's Hollywood-based quartet.
With Maynard Ferguson
With Pete Rugolo