Jerome Richardson

Jerome Richardson emerged from the bop tradition as a distinctive jazz improviser who brought personal expression to every reed he played. Extensive studio commitments nevertheless kept his visibility low within jazz circles for the greater part of his career. He took up alto saxophone at eight, began performing publicly at fourteen, and later studied at San Francisco State College. Military duties from 1942 to 1945 frequently placed him in Marshall Royal’s dance band. After those years he gained further experience with Lionel Hampton from 1949 to 1951 and with Earl Hines from 1952 to 1953 before settling in New York. During the 1950s he worked as a freelancer, appearing with Lucky Millinder, Cootie Williams, Oscar Pettiford, Chico Hamilton, Gerry Mulligan, and Gerald Wilson, among many others. He joined Quincy Jones’ Free and Easy orchestra for its European tour of 1959–1960. Between 1965 and 1970 he served as lead altoist and soprano saxophonist with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. Following his relocation to Hollywood in 1971, Richardson concentrated on studio work, much of it for Quincy Jones, while returning to jazz engagements from time to time. He led two New Jazz sessions in 1958–1959 that featured tenor, flute, and baritone and were later reissued in the Original Jazz Classics series; he also participated in numerous 1950s recordings, including dates with Kenny Burrell. Additional leader dates appeared on United Artists in 1962 and on Verve in 1967, the latter introducing soprano saxophone and containing his original composition “Groove Merchant.” In 1997 he returned as a session leader with the TCB album Jazz Station Runaway, which also featured pianist Dave Hazeltine, guitarist Russell Malone, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Lewis Nash. Jerome Richardson died on June 23, 2000, in Englewood, New Jersey, at the age of seventy-nine.