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| Bassist Rodney Richardson 1917-2005 Rodney Richardson, famed bassist, passed away on Saturday, October 29, 2005 at the age of 88. From New Orleans and a professional musician in his teens, Rodney has been friends with, and worked with, some of the world's most illustrious musicians. Basie, Ellington, Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Harlan Leonard, the Kansas City Seven, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Miles, Dizzy, Buddy Rich, Monk, Oscar Peterson, Nat King Cole, Freddy Cole, Carmen McRae, Jimmy Wilkins, Sammy Davis Jr., Earl "Fatha" Hines, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Lester Young, and many, many more. He was the guy on the radio playing "Jumping With Symphony Sid". The Count Basie years are forever memorialized in Washington DC at the Kennedy Center. Rodney comes from a very artistic family, including his grandchildren, there are now 5 generations of artists, dancers, and musicians, and vocalists. His cousin, Leontyne Price, is a world-renowned opera diva. His brother, James "Beans" Richardson, bassist, is in Detroit and is also a prolific, highly skilled, A-List musician, and photographer. "Beans" worked with Aretha Franklin during her first years as a professional vocalist, and is recorded on her first 3 albums. She started out with a jazz trio, "Beans" was the bassist. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Jazz News :: home page |