Hugh Lawson (jazz pianist) explained

Hugh Lawson (March 12, 1935 – March 11, 1997), was an American jazz pianist from Detroit who worked with Yusef Lateef for more than 10 years.

Inspired by Bud Powell, Hampton Hawes and Bill Evans, Lawson first gained recognition for his work with Lateef from 1957 onwards. He recorded with Harry "Sweets" Edison (1962), Roy Brooks, and Lateef again on several occasions in the 1960s. In 1972, he performed with "The Piano Choir" (Strata-East), a group with seven pianists including Stanley Cowell and Harold Mabern. He went on to tour with Charles Mingus in 1975 and 1977 and made recordings with Charlie Rouse (1977), George Adams, and as a leader.

Lawson died of colon cancer in White Plains, NY, March 11, 1997, at the age of 61.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

Year recorded	Title	Label	Notes
1972	Handscapes	Strata-East	With The Piano Choir; in concert^[1]
1974	Handscapes 2	Strata-East	With The Piano Choir
1977	Prime Time	Jazzcraft/Storyville	Trio, with Bob Cranshaw (bass), Ben Riley (drums)^[2]
1983	Colour	Soul Note	Trio, with Calvin Hill (bass), Louis Hayes (drums)^[3]
1989?	Casablanca	Somethin' Else	Trio

As sideman

With George Adams

• Hand to Hand (Soul Note, 1980) with Dannie Richmond
• Gentleman's Agreement (Soul Note, 1983) with Dannie Richmond
• Nightingale (Blue Note, 1989)
• America (Blue Note, 1990)

With Jimmy Forrest

• Sit Down and Relax with Jimmy Forrest (Prestige, 1961)
• Most Much! (Prestige, 1961)
• Soul Street (New Jazz, 1962)

With Yusef Lateef

• Jazz for the Thinker (Savoy, 1957)
• Stable Mates (Savoy, 1957)
• Jazz Mood (Savoy, 1957)
• (Verve, 1957)
• Jazz and the Sounds of Nature (Savoy, 1957)
• Prayer to the East (Savoy, 1957)
• The Sounds of Yusef (Prestige, 1957)
• Other Sounds (Prestige, 1957)
• Cry! - Tender (New Jazz, 1959)
• The Three Faces of Yusef Lateef (Riverside, 1960)
• Jazz 'Round the World (Impulse!, 1963)
• A Flat, G Flat and C (Impulse!, 1966)
• The Golden Flute (Impulse!, 1966)
• The Complete Yusef Lateef (Atlantic, 1967)
• The Blue Yusef Lateef (Atlantic, 1968)
• Yusef Lateef's Detroit (Atlantic, 1969)
• The Diverse Yusef Lateef (Atlantic, 1969)

With others

• Roy Brooks, The Free Slave (Muse, 1972) – rec. 1970
• Kenny Burrell, God Bless the Child (CTI, 1971)
• Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Harry "Sweets" Eddison, Jawbreakers (Riverside, 1962)
• Al Grey, Having a Ball (Argo, 1963)
• Charlie Rouse, Moment's Notice (Storyville, 1977)
• Doug Watkins, Soulnik - (with Yusef Lateef) (New Jazz, 1960)
• Joe Williams, Joe Williams Live! A Swingin' Night at Birdland (Roulette, 1962)

Notes and References

1. Garland, P., Ebony magazine review, June 1973
2. Web site: Yanow . Scott . Hugh Lawson: Prime Time . . January 31, 2020.
3. Web site: Yanow . Scott . Hugh Lawson: Colour . AllMusic . January 31, 2020.