Zoot...And Al, Too
 

It appears we lost a fine Zoot Sims thread in The Crash Of '03, so I'm reviving this for thoughts on the great John Haley Sims. But I also want to include Zoot's friend and partner Al Cohn, an underappreciated master.

Nope, we did not!




peter rh
Senior Member

Registered: Mar 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 528
Zoot Sims Zone
Thought I'd start a thread following mentions in other threads. Zoot's
name seems to crop up regularly, mainly because of his popularity as
a person rather than for being a great influence or giant of the tenor
(+alto & sop) saxophone.I don't have a system for keeping my cds in
any sort of order(not that I can explain),so I keep Zoot next to Fats
Waller!
I really don't remember just when I became aware of Zoot and his
music - the Herman band with Zoot and the rest was a bit before my
time,so it may have been the Mulligan band where I got my first taste.
During November 1961 Zoot became Ronnie Scott's first American name at his London club.I'm not sure if it was generally known at the
time,but Zoot played a part in arranging the exchange of Tubby Hayes
(to work at the Half Note Club in NY) that was neccessary before Zoot
could be allowed to work in UK.Ronnie Scott at the time was Tubby's
manager -all complex stuff in the 60s!).
I'm uncertain about my favourite Zoot albums only because I enjoy
most of them - Zoot Sims & The Gershwin Brothers and also For Lady Day have to be near the top of the list but Basie & Zoot is up there as well.
Anybody have particular favourites or good Zoot stories?



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08-21-2003 08:00 PM



clinthopson
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Registered: Mar 2003
Location: Tustin, CA, USA
Posts: 228
I am a HUGE Zoot fan - ever since his days with Woody. He's probably my all-time favorite tenorist.

On Pablo, some of my favorite Zoot efforts are:
. . .And the Girshwin Brothers
Soprano Sax (he was the best I ever heard on the fish horn)
Hawthorne Nights
Warm Tenor

with the great Jimmy Rowles:
If I'm Lucky
Suddenly It's Spring

With Joe Pass:
Blues for Two

With Sweets Edison:
Just Friends

with the great Al Cohn:
Body and Soul on Muse
Motoring Along on Sonet
From A to Z and Beyond on Bluebird

Zoot also appears on several of the Basie small group sessions on Pablo

A fine early Zoot is Zootcase on Prestige


The man never made a bad record.

Besides that - the greatest nick in the history of jazz.


__________________
Call your mother.



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08-21-2003 08:43 PM



peter rh
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Location: UK
Posts: 528


peter rh has attached this image:



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08-21-2003 08:58 PM



liamw
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Registered: Jan 2003
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 88
I saw Mr Sims at the Half Note once in the late 60s. He wasn't on the bill -- it was a quartet led by Richie Kamuca, in what must have been a rare appearance in NYC. They played a couple of uninspired tunes, and then Zoot joined them on the bandstand and made it a memorable night. I expect that was a fairly common occurence when he was around.



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08-22-2003 12:29 AM



brownie
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Registered: Mar 2003
Location: paris, france
Posts: 218
Clinthopson said it: the man never made a bad record.
Other favorites are the Zoot Sims Quartets on OJC (listen to 'Zoot Swings the Blues' where Zoot stretched at length in one of the first LP session which enabled musicians to improvide beyond the 3-minute limitations of pre-LP era. And its' Art Blakey propelling him!, 'Jazz Alive. A Night at Half-Note' (with Al Cohn and Phil Woods) on BN, and 'Live in Philly' on the 32 label.
And the Pablo records are superb. All of them.
I caught Zoot Sims live several times. Best memories are from the evening when I heard Zoot Sims with Jimmy Rowles at the Village Vanguard. Must have been 1982. They had George Mraz and Akira Tana along. They all were on.



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08-22-2003 07:36 AM



EKE BBB
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Registered: Mar 2003
Location: Madrid, Spain
Posts: 774

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by brownie
And the Pablo records are superb. All of them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Basie and Zoots (Pablo, 1975) is a must-have, IMO



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08-22-2003 08:33 AM



EKE BBB
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Registered: Mar 2003
Location: Madrid, Spain
Posts: 774
Had he got an identical twin?





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08-22-2003 08:39 AM



EKE BBB
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08-22-2003 08:53 AM



EKE BBB
jazz seeker

Registered: Mar 2003
Location: Madrid, Spain
Posts: 774




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08-22-2003 08:55 AM



peter rh
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Registered: Mar 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 528
The Humor of Zoot Sims (page) is on :
[url]http://members.aol.com/plabjazz/zootsims.html[/url]


Jazz Musicians and those hats!

peter rh has attached this image:



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08-22-2003 06:34 PM



David Gitin
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Registered: Mar 2003
Location: Monterey,California
Posts: 387
Zoot had a brother, and when Zoot died, there was a large tribute he attended at Kimball's in San Francisco, during which Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Mel Martin, John Handy, Herbie Steward (!), and man more performed. I loved the evening, musically and sentimentally as tribute. I had heard Zoot with Al Cohn several times at the Half Note in NYC early sixties, and seen Zoot in other combinations in the following years...



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08-22-2003 06:43 PM



peter rh
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Registered: Mar 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 528
I've taken the following from a Jazz Journal article(within last 12 months?) by Jim Anderson :
" Today,(Zoot) stands alongside those few whose fame requires no more
than a single word for instant recognition.Pres,Louis,Hawk,Fats,Bird etc...
Yet while Sims carried the one title most non-jazz followers would perhaps believe was archetypal of the jazz world,he was far from the
image it might suggest.Check suits and lapels like jibs were never part
of the Sims wardrobe.Beat-up slacks,a sweater or lumberjack type shirt
and he was kitted.Indeed,one of the myriad of Zoot anecdotes tells of
him turning up at a musicians meeting place one time in a completely out
of character suit and tie garb.Asked why the smart outfit,he couldn't give a reason."I don't know ....... I just woke up like it!" "




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08-23-2003 07:44 PM



clifton
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Registered: Oct 2002
Location: Clifton Hts., Pa
Posts: 540
"Easy As Pie", featuring Al and Zoot live at The Left Bank Jazz Society, is my Zoot recommendation. I was fortunated to see Zoot live a few times. He was swing personified, sounding great every time. "From A To Z And Beyond" is also really good.



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08-23-2003 08:00 PM



peter rh
Senior Member

Registered: Mar 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 528
Anybody know if Zoot Case made it to cd ? Originally on Sonet
vinyl, not sure about UK . AMG lists it as being paired with The Brothers!
but I don't know if that was vinyl or cd on Prestige



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08-23-2003 08:18 PM



mmilovan
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Registered: Mar 2003
Location: Belgrade, Serbia
Posts: 189
I like that "A Night at Half-Note" CD - some of the greatest live recordings IMO, by two very personal favourites of mine - Al Cohn and Zoot Sims.

Speaking of other Sims albums - they are rare and hard to find. I like his colaborations with Red Mithell and Rune Gustafsson for Sonet label - record that I worn to death. Listen to Zoot on title "Tis Autumn"!



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08-24-2003 12:49 PM



peter rh
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Registered: Mar 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 528
Anyone know if this is available :

peter rh has attached this image:



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08-24-2003 09:07 PM



SatinDoll
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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Vienna
Posts: 38
Inspired by this topic about Zoot right now I´m listening to a rare meeting between Zoot Sims with Bud Powell, recorded at a club in Paris in late 1961...great thing, extended versions of "Groovin´High" etc. ...great solos both by Zoot and Bud!



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08-25-2003 07:48 PM



Munch
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Registered: Apr 2003
Location: Scotland
Posts: 97
I go along with every recording mentioned here.
That 'Motoring Along' recording previously mentioned, is a swinger.

I would add Zoot Sims 'Live In Copenhagen' 1978, on Storyville, with Kenny Drew, Neils H.O. Pedersen, and Ed Thigpen.
Also his work with Bob Brookmeyer in 1956, with Hank Jones, Gus Johnson, Wyatt Ruther, and Bill Crow.

Zoot was a man for all seasons. Every tune he played - swung!
While playing at the Half Note one New Years Eve with his buddy Al Cohn, someone hollered out, "It's midnight!"
Zoot and Al were both in full flow, but stopped suddenly, and looked at each other, kinda lost, then swung into a wildly swinging, 'Happy Birthday'!

While watching the televised Moon landing at Ronnie Scott's, Zoot turned to Ronnie Scott and said, "There they are, landing on the moon, and I am still playing 'Indiana'!"
Zoot never seemed to make a poor recording. If he did I am sure he would have had something to say about it, maybe such as, "Well, you got to cater for everyone's taste".



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08-26-2003 08:38 PM



mmilovan
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Registered: Mar 2003
Location: Belgrade, Serbia
Posts: 189

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Munch

While playing at the Half Note one New Years Eve with his buddy Al Cohn, someone hollered out, "It's midnight!"
Zoot and Al were both in full flow, but stopped suddenly, and looked at each other, kinda lost, then swung into a wildly swinging, 'Happy Birthday'!
While watching the televised Moon landing at Ronnie Scott's, Zoot turned to Ronnie Scott and said, "There they are, landing on the moon, and I am still playing 'Indiana'!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






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08-26-2003 11:51 PM



RHINO
Junior Member

Registered: Aug 2003
Location: sydney,australia
Posts: 28
ZOOT IS GREAT
we happen to share the same birthday oct 29

an interesting report is at [url]http://www.jazzbrat.com/[/url]

the blue sax playing muphet was actually named in zoot's honour

he actually picked up the name from the front of the box he stood behind in the ken baker band in 1941,and reports that he is glad that he was not asked to stand behind the box marked goo goo

perhaps the zoot suit influenced the box that was suggested

in notes from ON THE KORNER it is revealed that stan kenton kicked him out for wearing space shoes,another reason not to be keen on swing dance bands

I have nearly all his pablo recordings they are great

zoot appears on some cheap but very good carmen mcrae recordings on the laser light label and her FOR LADY DAy rca/novus label

FOR LADY DAY is not easy to obtain

I read some internet report that he liked doing the half note with its sausage sandwich menu,so we have them from time to time and play zoot then

the report said that zoot went around the tables between the sets chating with the audience

Overall zoot is one of my favourite sax palyers,possibly a giant of jazz,oscar peterson reports in his autobiography that zoot caused oscar's group to increase the spped that they were playing at

pitty he drank so much,perhaps it hid his liver cancer

My thanks to mmilovan for restoring this thread.

taken from the jazzbrat page provided by RHINO :
Zoot Sims Quotes:

"I just take a tune and play it the only way I can. That's it. I don't really dwell on it very much. Some people probably do. I can only say I play it the way I feel it."

Perhaps not a surprise, as it's from Zoot, but it shows that the
simple and uncomplicated approach can succeed

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by peter rh [/i]
[B]
Zoot Sims Quotes:

"I just take a tune and play it the only way I can. That's it. I don't really dwell on it very much. Some people probably do. I can only say I play it the way I feel it." [/B][/QUOTE]

How great he was!

[IMG]http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000000YOO.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg[/IMG]
I think this is about to be issued on SACD :)

I was surprised that Zoot's most famous line was omitted from the above (unless I missed it). When asked at a gig how he could play so well while drunk, he replied "Because I practice drunk".

Zoot may be my favorite tenor player. I have about 20 CDs under his name.

IMO he is the perfect summation of swing era tenor, which I love.

I prefer his 70's releases including the duets Bucky Pizzarelli.
Al Cohn is great too. Pick up his releases on Concord while you can. I think they are going OOP.

One night at the late, lamented Half Note in New York I saw Al and Zoot. That was some night, swing as it was meant to be. Zoot punched out those hip riffs and Al soared, playing with a definite bop feel. Oh yeah, it gets better. Jimmy Rushing opened for them. That was jazz heaven.

Anyone got this yet?
Zoot Sims At E.J’s, Atlanta, Georgia
Zoot Sims – tenor & soprano sax
Yancey Korosi – piano
Dewey Sampson – bass
James Martin - drums
Rick Bell – tenor sax

That Old Devil Called Love / Jitterbug Waltz / Softly As In A Morning Sunrise / Over The Rainbow / In A Mellotone / I Got It Bad / Caravan / Groovin ’ High / Take The A Train / Lester Leaps In

The music on this CD (69 min./10 tunes) has never been released before. The music was recorded live in a nightclub in Atlanta, Ga., in 1981, and features Zoot Sims with a top local rhythm section lead by pianist Yancey Korosi; local tenor sax-player Rick Bell sits in on the last three numbers Sims plays in an easy-swinging, mainstream jazz style, heavily influenced by Lester Young. The repertoire consists of tasty and tasteful standards, including tunes by Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller and Harold Arlen. As always, Zoot Sims uses his beautiful tone and lots of melody to tell his story, rather than firing off endless notes and runs.
Label: Storyville Records
CATALOG NUMBER: 101 8367

Many thanks to Munch for recommending - Zoot Sims 'Live In Copenhagen' 1978, on Storyville, with Kenny Drew, Neils H.O. Pedersen, and Ed Thigpen.
All Zoot fans will love this one :)

Zoot Sims is a study in consistency. He made quite a number of records, and virtually every one is excellent.

He played a pretty soprano too.

Yes, some of those encounters with Al Cohn were magical.

Anyone have or heard "Zoot Sims and the Gershwin Brothers"
SACD Hybrid yet? (or even expecting it for Christmas)

I don’t yet have Zoot’s Gershwin SACD and I’d like to hear a review, too. And speaking of Al, I find myself returning to his Xanadu releases with Barry Harris quite often. Come on, who couldn’t love “Zoot Case”?

My first SACD from Fantasy group, Zoot and The Gershwin Brothers is very impressive. One new track - They Can't Take That
Away From Me - apart from Zoot (who sounds great) Joe Pass
sounds wonderful. Almost like discovering a new recording - makes the older version sound dull and flat. I don't think this is
yet available in UK (mine came from USA),but prices for those
that are available are too high. MPS don't even seem to plan importing SACDs to UK

Anybody remember the 1956 "Tenor Conclave" session on Prestige? (Fortunately I've got the vinyl). Al and Zoot, Mobley and Coltrane, with a rhythm section of Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Art Taylor. More than just a blowing date, because Cohn does some nice arrangements for the session, so it's a bit like a hard bop Four Brothers. Al was always more boppish than Zoot, and he sounds right at home with Mobley and Coltrane. Don't get me wrong, Zoot sounds just fine, and Trane, although a bit rough-edged in spots, sounds good, too, but Al and Hank steal the album.