Not to be confused with Stu Williamson (photographer)
Stu Williamson (May 14, 1933 – October 1, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter and valve trombonist.
Born in Brattleboro, Vermont, Williamson was the younger brother of jazz pianist Claude Williamson. Williamson relocated to Los Angeles in 1949 and became a regular on the West Coast scene, playing with Stan Kenton (1951, 1954-1955), Woody Herman (1952-1953), Billy May, and Charlie Barnet. Between 1954 and 1958 he played intermittently with Shelly Manne, and was a ubiquitous session musician until 1968, when he retired from music.
He battled drug addiction for much of his life, including for years after he left music. He died in Studio City, California in 1991.
Sapphire ( Compilation with Charlie Mariano Plays - Bethlehem Recordings)Stu Williamson Plays (Bethlehem, 1955)Stu Williamson (Bethlehem, 1956)With Pepper Adams
Pepper Adams Quintet (Mode, 1956)With Clifford Brown's All Stars
Jazz MessagesJazz Immortal (Full Session) (Pacific Jazz 1956)With Terry Gibbs
Dream Band recorded 1959 (Contemporary 1986)Dream Band vol 2 The Sundown Sessions recorded 1959 (Contemporary 1987)Dream Band Vol 3 Flying Home recorded 1959 (Contemporary 1988)The Exciting Terry Gibbs Big Band (Verve 1961) Reissued as Dream Band Vol 4 Main Stem (Contemporary 1990)With Dizzy Gillespie
The New Continent (Limelight, 1962)With Elmo Hope
The Elmo Hope Quintet featuring Harold Land (Pacific Jazz, 1957)With Stan Kenton
This Modern World (Capitol, 1953)Kenton Showcase (Capitol, 1954)The Kenton Era (Capitol, 1940–54, [1955])Contemporary Concepts (Capitol, 1955)The Innovations Orchestra (Capitol, 1950-51 [1997])With Shelly Manne
Swinging Sounds (Contemporary, 1956)More Swinging Sounds (Contemporary, 1956)Concerto for Clarinet & Combo (Contemporary, 1957)The Gambit (Contemporary, 1958)Manne–That's Gershwin! (Capitol, 1965)With Jack Montrose
Arranged by Montrose (Pacific Jazz, 1954)With Lennie Niehaus
Vol. 1 The Quintets (Contemporary 1955)vol. 2 The Octet - Zounds! (Contemporary 1955)Vol. 3 The Octet #2 (Contemporary 1956)Vol. 4 The Quintets and Strings (Contemporary1956)Vol. 5 The Sextet (Contemporary 1957)
With Shorty Rogers
An Invisible Orchard (RCA Victor, 1961 [1997])With Pete Rugolo
The Music from Richard Diamond (EmArcy, 1959)With Bud Shank
Strings & Trombones (Pacific Jazz, 1955)With Duane Tatro
Jazz For Moderns (Contemporary, 1956)With Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All Stars
Lighthouse All Stars vol. 6 (Contemporary 1955)In the Solo Spotlight (Contemporary 1955)With Zoot Sims
Quintet (Prestige 1955) reissue Good Old Zoot (Status 1965) (Zootcase Prestige 1970 2 LPs)