Dannie Richmond

This article is about the jazz drummer. For the hockey player, see Danny Richmond.
Dannie Richmond
Richmond at Half Moon Bay, California June 23, 1981
Richmond at Half Moon Bay, California
June 23, 1981
Background information
Birth name Charles Daniel Richmond
Born December 15, 1931
New York City, New York, U.S.
Died March 16, 1988 (aged 56)
Harlem, New York
Genres Jazz, R&B, pop
Occupation(s) Musician, music director, bandleader
Instrument(s) Drums
Years active 1955–1988
Labels Impulse!, Timeless, Landmark

Charles Daniel Richmond (December 15, 1931 – March 16, 1988) was an American jazz drummer who is best known for his work with Charles Mingus. He also worked with Joe Cocker, Elton John and Mark-Almond.

Biography

Richmond was born Charles Daniel Richmond on December 15, 1931, in New York City and grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina. He started playing tenor saxophone at the age of thirteen, and went on to play R&B with the Paul Williams band in 1955.

His career took off when he took up the drums, which he had taught himself to play in his early twenties, through the formation of what was to be a 21-year association with Charles Mingus. Mingus biographer Brian Priestley writes that "Dannie became Mingus's equivalent to Harry Carney in the Ellington band, an indispensable ingredient of 'the Mingus sound' and a close friend as well".

That association continued after Mingus' death when Richmond became the first musical director of the group Mingus Dynasty in 1980.

He died of a heart attack in Harlem on March 16, 1988, at the age of 56.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Charles Mingus

With George Adams and Don Pullen

With Pepper Adams

With others

With Ray Anderson

With Chet Baker

With Ted Curson

With Booker Ervin

With Ricky Ford

With Bert Jansch

With John Jenkins

With Duke Jordan

With Jimmy Knepper

With Horace Parlan

With Herbie Nichols

With Sahib Shihab

With Zoot Sims

With Mal Waldron

With Bennie Wallace

  • Mystic Bridge (Enja, 1982)