Sam Lazar (born 1933) was an American pianist and Hammond organist originally from St. Louis, Missouri, United States.
In 1958, Lazar saw the Jimmy Smith Trio at the 'Peacock Alley' club in St. Louis and was inspired to play the Hammond organ and return to music.
His St. Louis-based organ combo later included drummer Chauncey Williams, guitarists Grant Green, Joe Diorio, George Eskridge, and saxophonist Miller Brisker among others.
His first single on Cawthron Records, "Space Flight, Parts 1 and 2", was given a rating of four stars by Billboard, indicating "Very Strong Sales Potential.
[6] Lazar's 1962 album Playback also received a 4-star rating from Billboard, noting that he played with a lot of blues and soul in a style very similar to Jimmy Smith.