Jerome Richardson

Jerome Richardson was always a talented jazz improviser appearing out of the bop custom, displaying personality on each of his reeds. But because he spent the majority of his profession as a studio room musician, he frequently maintained a minimal profile within the jazz globe. Richardson began on alto when he was eight, was playing in public areas by enough time he was 14, and later on attended SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA State University. The years 1942-1945 had been spent within the armed service, often employed in a dance music group led by Marshall Royal. He found experience using the rings of Lionel Hampton (1949-1951) and Earl Hines (1952-1953) before shifting to NY. Richardson freelanced through the entire 1950s, gigging with Lucky Millinder, Cootie Williams, Oscar Pettiford, Chico Hamilton, Gerry Mulligan, and Gerald Wilson, amongst others. He toured European countries with Quincy Jones’ ill-fated Totally free and Easy orchestra during 1959-1960 and was the business lead altoist and soprano using the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra from 1965-1970. After he relocated to Hollywood in 1971, Richardson mainly worked like a studio room musician, frequently for Quincy Jones, although he resurfaced like a jazz participant on an intermittent basis. Richardson led a set of classes for New Jazz in 1958-1959 (where he performed tenor, flute, and baritone) which were reissued in the initial Jazz Classics series, and was on many classes in the 1950s, including times with Kenny Burrell. Further times were made like a innovator for United Performers (1962) and Verve (1967), where period he was also playing soprano; the latter features his unique tune “Groove Vendor.” Richardson resurfaced like a program innovator within the 1997 TCB launch Jazz Train station Runaway, also offering pianist Dave Hazeltine, guitarist Russell Malone, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Lewis Nash. Jerome Richardson passed away June 23, 2000 in Englewood, NJ at age 79.