Hampton Hawes

Hampton Barnett Hawes Jr. (November 13, 1928 – May 22, 1977) was an American jazz pianist. He was the author of the memoir Raise Up Off Me, which won the Deems-Taylor Award for music writing in 1975.

Early life Hampton Hawes was born on November 13, 1928, in Los Angeles, California. His father, Hampton Hawes Sr., was minister of Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Life and career

By his teens, Hawes was playing with some of the leading jazz musicians on the West Coast, including Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, and Teddy Edwards. His second professional job, at 18, was playing for eight months with the Howard McGhee Quintet at the Hi De Ho Club, in a group that included Charlie Parker. in the 289th Army Band, the American Embassy, and extensively in Tokyo and Yokohama's jazz clubs. Hawes greatly influenced local jazz musicians in post-war Japan (one of whom was a young Toshiko Akiyoshi, a profound admirer of Hawes) who had previously relied on what few recordings they could obtain to understand the new developments in the music. However, he ran into trouble with the law due to narcotics use. He was arrested, sentenced, and imprisoned in Tokyo before being sent back to California to serve out his time in 1954.

After his discharge from the Army, Hawes formed his own trio, with bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Chuck Thompson. With help from inside and outside the prison, Hawes submitted an official application for Executive Clemency. In August 1963, Kennedy granted Hawes clemency, the 42nd of only 43 such pardons given in the final year of Kennedy's presidency.

Hampton Hawes died unexpectedly of a brain hemorrhage in 1977, at the age of 48.

Style and influence Hawes' playing style developed in the mid-1940s. He included "figures used by Parker and [Bud] Powell (but he played with a cleaner articulation than Powell), some Oscar Peterson phrases, and later, some Bill Evans phrases [...], and an impressive locked-hands style in which the top notes always sang out clearly." Hawes' own influences came from a number of sources, including the gospel music and spirituals he heard in his father's church as a child, and the boogie-woogie piano of Earl Hines. Hawes also learned much from pianists Powell and Nat King Cole, among others. However, his principal source of influence was his friend Charlie Parker; "It was Bird`s conception of time that influenced me most...Of course I didn`t try to copy his solos or anything like that, but I think Parker has influenced me more than anybody, even piano players."

Discography As leader/co-leader Recording date Title Label Year released Personnel/Notes1951-9The Hampton Hawes Trio Vantage Records 1951 With Harper Cosby (bass), Lawrence Marable (drums). 1952-12Hampton Hawes Quartet Prestige1955 Quartet, with Clarence Jones (bass), Lawrence Marable (drums), Larry Bunker (vibraphone). Later re-issued on "Freddie Redd/Hampton Hawes Piano: East/West" by Prestige in 1956. 1955-06 Hampton Hawes Trio Contemporary 1955 One track solo piano; most tracks trio, with Red Mitchell (bass), Chuck Thompson (drums). 1955-06, 1955-12, 1956-01 This Is Hampton Hawes Contemporary 1956 Trio, with Red Mitchell (bass), Chuck Thompson (drums) 1956-01 Everybody Likes Hampton Hawes Contemporary 1956 Trio, with Red Mitchell (bass), Chuck Thompson (drums) 1956-11 All Night Session! Vol. 1 Contemporary 1958 Quartet, with Jim Hall (guitar), Red Mitchell (bass), Eldridge Freeman (drums) 1956-11 All Night Session! Vol. 2 Contemporary 1958 Quartet, with Jim Hall (guitar), Red Mitchell (bass), Eldridge Freeman (drums) 1956-11 All Night Session! Vol. 3 Contemporary 1958 Quartet, with Jim Hall (guitar), Red Mitchell (bass), Eldridge Freeman (drums) 1957-04, 1957-05 Baritones and French Horns Prestige 1958 Septet, with Curtis Fuller (trombone), Sahib Shihab (alto sax), David Amram and Julius Watkins (French horn), Addison Farmer (bass), Jerry Segal (drums); originally issued with other recordings; reissued as Curtis Fuller and Hampton Hawes with French Horns by Status 1958-01 Four! Contemporary 1958 Quartet, with Barney Kessel (guitar), Red Mitchell (bass), Shelly Manne (drums) 1956-01, 1958-03 Bird Song Contemporary 1999 Most tracks trio with Paul Chambers (bass), Larance Marable (drums); two tracks trio listing Scott LaFaro (bass), Frank Butler (drums) 1958-03 For Real! Contemporary 1961 Quartet, with Harold Land (tenor sax), Scott LaFaro (bass), Frank Butler (drums) 1958-11 The Sermon Contemporary 1987 Trio, with Leroy Vinnegar (bass), Stan Levey (drums) 1964-02 The Green Leaves of Summer Contemporary 1964 Trio, with Monk Montgomery (bass), Steve Ellington (drums) 1965-05 Here and Now Contemporary 1966 Trio, with Chuck Israels (bass), Donald Bailey (drums) 1966-04, 1966-05 The Seance Contemporary 1969 Trio, with Red Mitchell (bass), Donald Bailey (drums) 1966-04, 1966-05 I'm All Smiles Contemporary 1973 Trio, with Red Mitchell (bass), Donald Bailey (drums) 1967 Hamp's Piano SABA 1969 also released as Hampton Hawes in Europe (Prestige) 1968-01 Key for Two BYG Actuel 1973 with Martial Solal 1968-03 Spanish Steps Black Lion 1971 Trio, with Jimmy Woode (bass), Art Taylor (drums). also released as Blues for Bud 1968-05 The Challenge Victor 1968 Solo piano 1968? Jam Session Columbia 1968 with Isao Suzuki (bass), George Otsuka (drums), Shungo Sawada (guitar), Akira Miyazawa (ts), Hidehiko Matsumoto (ts) 1970? High in the Sky Vault 1970 Trio, with Leroy Vinnegar (bass), Donald Bailey (drums) 1971-09 This Guy's in Love with You Freedom 1974 Trio, with Henry Franklin (bass), Michael Carvin (drums); in concert; also released as Live at the Montmartre (Freedom) 1971-09 A Little Copenhagen Night Music Freedom 1977 Trio, with Henry Franklin (bass), Michael Carvin (drums); in concert 1972-06 Universe Prestige 1972 With Oscar Brashear (trumpet), Harold Land tenor sax), Arthur Adams (guitar), Chuck Rainey (electric bass), Ndugu (drums) 1973-01 Blues for Walls Prestige 1973 Two tracks quartet, with George Walker (guitar), Henry Franklin (bass, electric bass), Ndugu (drums); most tracks sextet, with Oscar Brashear (trumpet), Hadley Caliman (soprano sax, tenor sax) added 1973-06 Live at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago Volume One Enja 1981 Trio, with Cecil McBee (bass), Roy Haynes (drums); in concert 1973-06 Live at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago Volume Two Enja 1989 Trio, with Cecil McBee (bass), Roy Haynes (drums); in concert 1973-07 Playin' in the Yard Prestige 1973 Trio, with Bob Cranshaw (electric bass), Kenny Clarke (drums); in concert 1974-07 Northern Windows Prestige 1974 With Allen DeRienzo and Snooky Young (trumpet), George Bohanon (trombone), Bill Green, Jackie Kelso and Jay Migliori (saxes, flute), Carol Kaye (electric bass), Spider Webb (drums) 1975-06 Recorded Live at the Great American Music Hall Concord Jazz 1983 Duo, with Mario Suraci (bass) 1976-01, 1976-08 As Long as There's Music Artists House 1978 Duo, with Charlie Haden (bass) 1976-06 Something Special Contemporary 1994 Quartet, with Denny Diaz (guitar), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), Al Williams (drums); in concert; 1976-08 Hampton Hawes at the Piano Contemporary 1978 Trio, with Ray Brown (bass), Shelly Manne (drums) 1977? Memory Lane Live JAS 1977 with Leroy Vinnegar (bass), Bobby Thompson (drums), Harry Edison (trumpet), Sonny Criss (as), Teddy Edwards (ts: B2), Joe Turner (vocals: A3, B1) Compilations The Hampton Hawes Memorial Album (Xanadu, 1982) – rec. 1952–56 Trio and Quartet 1951-1956 Live and Studio Sessions (Fresh Sound, 2005)[2CD] – rec. 1951–56

As sideman

With Dexter Gordon Blues à la Suisse (Prestige, 1974) – rec. 1973 The Hunt (Savoy, 1977) – rec. 1947

With Barney Kessel Kessel Plays Standards (Contemporary, 1955) Let's Cook! (Contemporary, 1962) – rec. 1957

With Art Pepper Surf Ride (Savoy, 1956) – rec. 1952–54 Living Legend (Contemporary, 1975) The Early Show (Xanadu, 1979) – rec. 1952

With Shorty Rogers Modern Sounds (Capitol, 1951) Shorty Rogers and His Giants (RCA Victor, 1953)

With others Gene Ammons, Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux (Prestige, 1973) Sonny Criss, I'll Catch the Sun! (Prestige, 1969) Art Farmer, On the Road (Contemporary, 1976) Wardell Gray, Live in Hollywood (Xanadu, 1978) – rec. 1952 Warne Marsh, Live in Hollywood (Xanadu, 1979) – rec. 1952 Charles Mingus, Mingus Three (Jubilee, 1957) Blue Mitchell, Stratosonic Nuances (RCA, 1975) Red Mitchell, Red Mitchell (Bethlehem, 1955) Sonny Rollins, Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders (Contemporary, 1958) Bud Shank, Bud Shank – Shorty Rogers – Bill Perkins (Pacific Jazz, 1955) Sonny Stitt, So Doggone Good (Prestige, 1972)