Jerome Richardson (December 25, 1920 – June 23, 2000) was an American jazz musician and woodwind player. He is cited as playing one of the earliest jazz flute recordings with his work on the 1949 Quincy Jones arranged song “Kingfish”.

Richardson was the regular saxophonist in the Oscar Pettiford band that one night, being busy with studio recording work, saw him late for the gig at Cafe Bohemia where Cannonball Adderley and brother Nat Adderley were present in the audience. Cannonball had taken his part and was inadvertently discovered as a result.

Richardson was versed in a variety of instruments in the saxophone, clarinet, and flute families. Early in his career he even sang rock and roll blues vocals. He was an in demand studio musician for television and stage, as well as a session musician in groups outside of jazz. He played with Quincy Jones, Lionel Hampton, Billy Eckstine, Oscar Pettiford, Charles Mingus, Kenny Burrell, The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (of which he was a founding member), and later with Earl Hines‘ small band.