Hugh Lawson
Richard Hugh Jerome Lawson (* 12. March 1935 in Detroit ; † 11. March 1997 in White Plains (New York) ) was an American jazz pianist of modern jazz .
Live and act
Lawson studied tenor saxophone and piano at Cass Tech. High and Wayne State University . Influenced mainly by Bud Powell , but also in part by Bill Evans , Lawson first found attention through his work with Yusef Lateef in the late 1950s. He also made records with Harry Sweets Edison (1962), Roy Brooks and again with Lateef in the 1960s, but also worked with Sonny Rollins , Roy Eldridge , George Coleman , Charles McPherson , Stanley Turrentine , Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Joe Henderson . In 1972 he co-founded the Piano Choir formation (a group of seven pianists). In 1975 and 1979 he toured with Charles Mingus and was involved in records by Charlie Rouse (1977) and George Adams . He had his own trio, recorded a number of albums as a leader for the jazz labels Storyville and Soul Note , and was also a member of the forerunner of the Mingus Dynasty . In the 1980s Lawson made recordings with George Adams , Steve Grossman , and again in 1990 with Harry "Sweets" Edison.
Lawson not only played the piano on the early Yusef Lateef recordings, but also Turkish finger cymbals.
Choice discography
As a leader
- Prime Time (Storyville, 1977) with Bob Cranshaw , Ben Riley
- Colors (Soul Note, 1983) with Calvin Hill , Louis Hayes
As a sideman
- George Adams: Gentleman's Agreement (Soul Note, 1983)
- Harry Sweets Edison: Jawbreakers (OJC, 19662), Swing Summit (Candid, 1990)
- Jimmy Forrest: Sit Down And Relax with Jimmy Forrest (OJC, 1961), Most Much! (OJC, 1961)
- Yusef lateef: Jazz Moods , Prayer To The East (Savoy, 1957), Other Sounds (OJC, 1957), The Blue Yusef Lateef (Atlantic, 1968)
- Charlie Rouse: Moment's Notice (Storyville, 1977)
- Joe Williams: A Swingin 'Night In Bidland (Roulette, 1962)
- Steve Grossman: Hold The Line (DIW, 1984)
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Lawson, Hugh |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Lawson, Richard Hugh Jerome (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American modern jazz pianist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 12, 1935 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Detroit |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 11, 1997 |
| Place of death | White Plains (New York) |