Jerome Richardson

[Chrome]

I really enjoy this multi-instrumentalist's sideman work, and love his "Roamin' with Richardson" disc ... any recommendations?

[brownie]

Jerome Richardson's other New Jazz album 'Midnight Oil' (with Jimmy Cleveland, Hank Jones and Kenny Burrell among others) is a very enjoyable date. It was his first record under his name. And it is also a good opportunity to hear Jimmy Cleveland!

[undergroundagent]

His work with Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Shirley Scott on "Cookbook Vol. 1" is pretty good.

[couw]

Buddy Emmons - Steel Guitar Jazz also features Richardson in a more intimate setting

[JSngry]

That UA AT THE MOVIES thing that Dusty Groove keeps selling on bootleg(?) vinyl is a smoker, a hidden gem, a lost treasure, etc. Highly recommended.

[tooter]

I've only ever heard "No Problem" from the Movies album, on the radio, but it did seem to have great energy. Les Spann plays both flute and guitar on the track I think - he died in 1989 according to Penguin and I did hear a mention, also on the radio, some years ago that he had been seen playing in the street, as a down-and-out I guess. Does anyone know more of what became of him?

My records show Jerome Richardson playing eight intruments (baritone sax and piccolo on "No Problem"?)and that's only some of them maybe.

How about [Jazz Station Runaway] for straightahead material - worth a try I think.

[mmilovan]

I like his live album issued on some Italian label (Giganti del Jazz) where he plays with Harry Sweets Edison and Ray Brown, among others.

[Jim Dye]

I think - he died in 1989 according to Penguin and I did hear a mention, also on the radio, some years ago that he had been seen playing in the street, as a down-and-out I guess. Does anyone know more of what became of him?

I hate it when rumors are spread on the radio that are completely false.

Jerome was never 'down-and-out'. Whether working as a sideman or with some show on Broadway, Jerome was always in demand. He knew how to take care of business and had a home in Seacaucus, NJ with his wife for the last 10 or more years of his life. Prior to that, he lived and worked in LA making hundreds of appearances as a studio musician going back to the early 70s.

He recorded his last album as a leader, Jazz Station Runaway for TCB in the mid 90s. He passed away in 1999 (so much for Penguins accuracy) and had a very rich and rewarding life. He always was able to make a very good living doing exactly what he loved. Playing music.

[king ubu]

I have one track from that TCB disc on some sampler, and I always planned to pick the CD up since, but have not come around buying it. That one track sure's very fine.

Here's the link to the label: http://www.tcb.ch/

And to that CD: Jazz Station Runaway

ubu

[Vincent, Paris]

I strongly suggest that you read the interview Jerome Richardson had in The Saxophone Journal (interview PDF format). This is really interesting and you'll see how Richardson lived well until the end, if not playing jazz as often as he would have liked.

[Chrome]

Vincent: Thanks for that interview ... fascinating/slightly depressing ... and a very prescient comment at the end there about Michael Jackson!

[Shawn]

Thought I'd bring this back up for some air.

Was listening to some of his mid-70's work with Kenny Burrell last night and was again reminded what a monster player he was. Too often he seems to be remembered as only a flute player, but this guy was a master saxophonist (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone)...one of those players that SHOULD have had many more opportunities to record as a leader than he did.

Another album that jumped out at me recently was Coleman Hawkin's Stasch (included on Bean And The Boys - Prestige), Jerome plays some beautiful alto on this album and gives Hawk a perfectly capable sparring partner.

Got to be some other fans of Jerome out there....

[kh1958]

There's the second track on side 1 of Mingus' Black Saint, where he solos to great effect on baritone and on soprano.

I did see him once at Sweet Basil, in the early 1990s, playing with Art Farmer. I believe he played tenor the whole evening.

[AllenLowe]

by the way, that unfounded (?) rumor, above, was NOT about Jerome Richardson, I think, but about Les Spann, who apparently did die in 1989 -

Edited June 13, 2008 by AllenLowe

[Peter Friedman]

My favorite recording by Jerome Richardson is the one on the TCB label titled JAZZ STATION RUNAWAY. He is joined by Russell Malone, David Hazeltine, George Mraz, and Lewis Nash. I prefer this to all the other recordings he made as leader.

[sidewinder]

Just listening to Herbie Hancock 'Hear, O Israel' on Jonny/Trunk and there is a really nice cameo performance by Jerome (mainly on flute but also a bit of alto on one bluesy track) within the context of a Herbie Hancock 60s group.

Edited June 14, 2008 by sidewinder

[Rabshakeh]

Listening to Midnight Oil at the moment, my first Richardson solo album.  

I find it quite striking.  There’s something about the syncopated time that Charli Persip keeps throughout and the way the trombone features in the arrangements that I find reminiscent of marching band music. Even the version of Caravan is unusual (not least because of the all-skins drum solo).

I confess that I did not expect much from the record other than solid hard bop.  Are Richardson’s other leader dates like this?

[Joe]

Dig this version of "Warm Valley" from Roamin' With Richardson. The way he ranges up and down the baritone here — and, at times, even his articulation — reminds me of Eric Dolphy's work on bass clarinet. IIRC, there was mutual admiration between the two musicians.

There's also Tiny In Swingville with Tiny Grimes. A co-leader date, and not your standard blowing session. 

[sgcim]

Jerome was a sideman on a number of records I have, but he was mainly reading, with no solos. Then I watched the Quincy Jones Big Band DVD "Live in '60, and his playing was fantastic!

[AllenLowe]

when I saw the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis band in the late '60s Richardson and Jerry Dodgion use to come up front and exchange solos. It was very exciting and dynamic.

[Justin V]

On 6/14/2008 at 9:15 PM, Peter Friedman said:

My favorite recording by Jerome Richardson is the one on the TCB label titled JAZZ STATION RUNAWAY. He is joined by Russell Malone, David Hazeltine, George Mraz, and Lewis Nash. I prefer this to all the other recordings he made as leader.

That's a great one. I bought a copy at Princeton Record Exchange for maybe 2 bucks a few years ago and later discovered that he had signed the booklet.  He plays beautifully on it and his tone is wonderful.

[Larry Kart]

[EKE BBB]

Good news for Jerome Richardson fans.

In a recent interview for an Spanish online magazine, Jordi Pujol confirmed that Fresh Sound will be issuing the Jerome Richardson recording session with the Tete Montoliu Trio from 1988 (Reggie Johnson on bass, Alvin Queen on drums). So far only one track ('A Child Is Born') had been issued as part of a Tete Montoliu compilation covering a good part of his artistic life span (FSR 6001 — Momentos Inolvidables De Una Vida. 1965-1992. Grabaciones Realizadas En Barcelona).

I asked Jordi about this session more than 15 years ago, so... finally!!!

[mikeweil]

And, although some here will not like it, there is a Fresh Sound twofer that includes a rare session some members of the Quincy Jones Orchestra made while they were in Belgrade. 

[EKE BBB]

Yes, thanks, mikeweil! I had spotted it a few days ago and is in my to-buy list!