A very valuable musician, Jerry Dodgion was a greatly in-demand sideman from the 1950s into the 2000s, whether for jazz combos, big bands, or studio work. His tone on his many instruments was always appealing and Dodgion could always be counted on to take an inventive solo that perfectly fits the circumstances. He began playing alto while in junior high school and worked locally in the San Francisco Bay area. Among the countless musical associations that Dodgion had throughout the years were with Gerald Wilson (1953-1955), Benny Carter, Red Norvo (being a regular member of his group between 1958 and 1961), Benny Goodman (including Goodman's 1962 tour of the Soviet Union), Oliver Nelson, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (1965-1979), Herbie Hancock, Duke Pearson, Count Basie, and Marian McPartland among many others. Jerry Dodgion, whose wife for 20 years was drummer/singer Dottie Dodgion (they separated in the mid-'70s), strangely enough, never led his own record session despite participating in a countless number of dates as a sideman. Jerry Dodgion died on February 17, 2023 in Queens, NY from complications of an infection. He was 90 years of age. ~ Scott Yanow