Closely associated with Charles Mingus, Dannie Richmond was on most of his sessions from 1955-1978, showing impressive versatility. Richmond and Mingus made for a very potent team, shifting rhythms, tempos, and grooves together, hinting at New Orleans jazz now and then while sometimes playing very freely. Richmond was originally a tenor saxophonist who as a teenager played R&B, touring with Paul Williams. He took up the drums in 1955, and six months later joined Charles Mingus when he proved that he could play at very fast tempos.