Hampton Hawes

Biography

Hampton Barnett Hawes Jr. was born on November 13, 1928, in Los Angeles, California, into a deeply musical family. His father, Hampton Hawes Sr., was the minister of Westminster Presbyterian Church, while his mother, Gertrude Holman, served as the church pianist. Raised in this strict, religious environment, Hawes taught himself to play piano as a child by listening to records of 1930s jazz piano giants, particularly Earl 'Fatha' Hines and Fats Waller. By his teenage years, he was already performing professionally with leading West Coast jazz musicians, and at just 18 years old, he secured his second professional job playing for eight months with the Howard McGhee Quintet at the Hi De Ho Club—a group that notably included Charlie Parker shortly after Parker's release from Camarillo.[1][2][3]

Hawes became a central figure in the West Coast jazz movement during the late 1940s and early 1950s. His first recording session occurred in 1947 with Dexter Gordon and Wardell Gray, and by late 1947, his growing reputation led to consistent studio work. Between 1948 and 1952, he recorded live at prominent Los Angeles jazz venues including The Haig, The Lighthouse, and The Surf Club. After serving in the U.S. Army in Japan from 1952 to 1954, Hawes' solo career accelerated dramatically. He signed with Lester Koenig's Contemporary Records and recorded prolifically, forming a trio with bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Chuck Thompson. The landmark All Night Session! album, recorded in a non-stop overnight session in November 1956 with guitarist Jim Hall, established him as a major figure in modern jazz. His playing style synthesized influences from Charlie Parker and Bud Powell with cleaner articulation, Oscar Peterson phrases, and later Bill Evans techniques, while pioneering the double-note blues figures and comping style that would influence Horace Silver and others.[2][3][4]

Despite his artistic achievements, Hawes struggled with severe drug addiction throughout the 1950s. He was imprisoned for heroin possession at the height of his musical influence but was released in 1963 by order of President John F. Kennedy. He returned to recording for Contemporary and other labels in the USA, Europe, and Japan, gradually rebuilding his career over approximately five years. Throughout the 1970s, he continued recording studio and festival sessions, sometimes incorporating electric piano. Hampton Hawes died on May 22, 1977, leaving behind a legacy as a major figure in the development of modern jazz piano playing. His autobiography, Raise Up Off Me, won the Deems-Taylor Award for music writing in 1975.[1][2][3]

Fun Facts

• Hawes left his high school graduation ceremony directly to perform a gig with the Big Jay McNeely band, demonstrating his commitment to music over traditional milestones.[1]
• He was released from federal prison in 1963 by direct order of President John F. Kennedy, a remarkable intervention that allowed him to resume his recording career at a critical moment.[1]
• The All Night Session! album was recorded during a non-stop overnight recording session on November 12, 1956, producing close to 20 tracks that were split across three albums—a remarkable feat of musical endurance and creativity.[4]
• After winning the 'New Star of the Year' award in Down Beat magazine and 'Arrival of the Year' in Metronome in 1956, Hawes' later struggles with addiction caused his significant early contributions to be somewhat overshadowed in jazz history.[3]

Associated Acts

• Wardell Gray Sextet - piano
• Wardell Gray’s Los Angeles All Stars - piano
• Hampton Hawes Trio - eponymous, original, piano
• Teddy Edwards Septet

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Earl 'Fatha' Hines - Early stylistic influence; Hawes learned piano by listening to Hines' recordings as a child (1930s jazz piano recordings) [1930s-1940s (formative years)]
• Fats Waller - Early stylistic influence; Hawes studied Waller's playing through records (1930s jazz piano recordings) [1930s-1940s (formative years)]
• Charlie Parker - Direct musical influence; Hawes played with Parker at the Hi De Ho Club and incorporated Parker's bebop figures into his style (Hi De Ho Club performances) [Late 1940s]

Key Collaborators

• Dexter Gordon - Early recording partner and West Coast jazz peer (First recording session) [1947]
• Wardell Gray - Early recording partner and West Coast jazz peer; provided advice during Hawes' struggles (First recording session) [1947]
• Howard McGhee - Bandleader who hired Hawes for his quintet; significant early professional opportunity (Howard McGhee Quintet) [Late 1940s]
• Shorty Rogers - Frequent collaborator on West Coast jazz sessions (1951 Modern Sounds recording session; early studio recordings) [1947-1950s]
• Art Pepper - West Coast jazz peer and recording collaborator (1951 Modern Sounds session; mid-1950s recordings) [1951, mid-1950s]
• Red Mitchell - Bassist in Hawes' trio; key collaborator in his most successful period (Trio albums (1955-1956), All Night Session!, Four!, For Real!) [1955-1958]
• Chuck Thompson - Drummer in Hawes' trio (Trio albums (1955-1956)) [1955-1956]
• Jim Hall - Guitarist added to trio for landmark All Night Session! recordings (All Night Session! (three albums)) [November 1956]
• Charles Mingus - Recording collaborator in New York (Mingus Three album) [1957]
• Harold Land - Recording collaborator (For Real! album) [1958]
• Barney Kessel - Guitarist collaborator (Four! album) [1958]
• Shelly Manne - Drummer collaborator (Four! album) [1958]
• Toshiko Akiyoshi - Met while serving in U.S. Army in Japan; became lifelong friend and admirer (Personal relationship) [1952-1954]

Artists Influenced

• Horace Silver - Influenced by Hawes' pioneering double-note blues figures and comping style (Hard bop compositions and arrangements) [Mid-1950s onward]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Thou Swell (Four!)
2. You and the Night and the Music (All The Things You Are)
3. Crazeology - Instrumental (For Real!)
4. All the Things You Are (Jazz Stars)
5. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (All The Things You Are)
6. I Love You - Instrumental (For Real!)
7. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams - Instrumental (For Real!)
8. Hip (For Real!)
9. Yardbird Suite (Four!)
10. Web - Remastered 2024

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #american, #bebop, #hard-bop