Sam Lazar was a pianist

Pianist

A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...

 and Hammond organ

Hammond organ

The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...

ist originally from St. Louis

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...

, Missouri

Missouri

Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...

. His first LP on Argo Records

Argo Records

Argo Records was started in December of 1955 to accommodate some of the rapidly growing recording activity at Chess Records. Originally the label was called Marterry, but bandleader Ralph Marterie objected, and within a couple of months the imprint was renamed Argo.Initially, Argo offered a...

 approximates his birth year as 1933. Initially a pianist, Lazar played in Ernie Wilkins

Ernie Wilkins

Ernest Brooks Wilkins Jr. was a jazz arranger and writer who also played tenor saxophone. He might be best known for his work with Count Basie. He also wrote for Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, and Dizzy Gillespie...

 group before Wilkins left St. Louis to join Count Basie

Count Basie

William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...

. This was followed by a stint in George Hudson's big band which also included Clark Terry

Clark Terry

Clark Terry is an American swing and bop trumpeter, a pioneer of the fluegelhorn in jazz, educator, NEA Jazz Masters inductee, and recipient of the 2010 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award...

 and Jimmy Forrest

Jimmy Forrest

Jimmy Forrest was an African American jazz musician, who played tenor saxophone throughout his career....

 at various times. After a tour with alto saxophonist Tab Smith

Tab Smith

Talmadge "Tab" Smith , was an American swing and rhythm and blues alto saxophonist. He is best known for the tracks, "Because Of You" and "Pretend". He variously worked with Count Basie, the Mills Rhythm Boys and Lucky Millinder.-Biography:Smith was born in Kinston, North Carolina, United States...

, Lazar was in the army from 1951-1953. Upon discharge, he began studying medical technology.

In 1958, Lazar saw the Jimmy Smith

Jimmy Smith (musician)

Jimmy Smith was a jazz musician whose performances on the Hammond B-3 electric organ helped to popularize this instrument...

 trio at the Peacock Alley club in St. Louis and was inspired to play the Hammond organ

Hammond organ

The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...

 and return to music. His St. Louis-based organ combo later included guitarists Grant Green

Grant Green

Grant Green was a jazz guitarist and composer....

, Joe Diorio, George Eskridge, drummer Chauncey Williams and saxophonist Miller Brisker among others. Not only did the group play a variety of gigs from strip clubs to jazz clubs, but they were reportedly one of the first interracial combos in the area.

After a single on Cawthron Records, Lazar went on to record several albums in the 1960s for the Chicago-based Argo Records

Argo Records

Argo Records was started in December of 1955 to accommodate some of the rapidly growing recording activity at Chess Records. Originally the label was called Marterry, but bandleader Ralph Marterie objected, and within a couple of months the imprint was renamed Argo.Initially, Argo offered a...

. His first, Space Flight, was recorded in 1960 and added bassist Willie Dixon

Willie Dixon

William James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...

 to his regular working combo featuring Williams and fellow St. Louis musician Grant Green

Grant Green

Grant Green was a jazz guitarist and composer....

.

Discography

• Space Flight
  Space Flight (Sam Lazar album)
  Space Flight is an album recorded by organist Sam Lazar on June 1, 1960 for Argo Records. This was Lazar's debut recording, and Green's second recording.- Track listing :# "Dig A Little Deeper" # "We Don't Know" # "Caramu"...
  
  (1960)
• Playback
  Playback (Sam Lazar album)
  -Personnel:Sam Lazar organ, Joe Diorio guitar, Phillip Wilson drums, Miller Brisker tenor sax.- Track listing :DeepLong GoneBags' GrooveFuzz BuzzJust Make Love to MeS & SPlease Send Me Someone to LoveScootin'...
  
  (1962)
• Soul Merchant
  Soul Merchant (Sam Lazar album)
  -Personnel:Miller Brisker tenor saxophone, Sam Lazar organ, George Eskridge guitar, Phil Thomas drums.- Track listing :Smooth CastingSee See RiderHigh NoonSam's JamsHappy Bossa NovaSoul Merchant...
  
  (1962)