One of the warmest-toned tenor saxist, undeservedly forgotten these days, is Zoot Sims (1925-85). Originally one of the Four Brothers (along with Stan Getz) in Woody Herman’s famous Second Herd, he is best known for his small group settings as both a leader and sideman, playing alongside the likes ranging from Gerry Mulligan to Al Cohn to Benny Goodman
Here are a handful of albums to get you acquainted with an artist who grew as a master up till the day he died. Check it out…
The four disc Rare Albums Collection contains eight albums that show the breath and width of Sims’ mastery.
Things start off on a 1952 set teaming Sims with all stars Art Blakey/dr, Al Cohn/ts, Percy Heath/b, Kai Winding/tb and George Wallington/p for swinging originals like “Zootcase” and “The Red Door” and a luscious standard “Tangerine”. A 1956 sextet date with long time buddy Al Cohn as well as Hank Jones-Dave McKenna/p, Dick Sherman/tp, Milt Hinton/b and Osie Johnson/dr have the horns in buttery form on “East of The Sun” and swinging on Cohn’s own “From A to Z”. A ’56 outing has Sims stretching out on alto, tenor and baritone saxes, overdubbing to become a one man sax section for a fun “9:20 Special” and a bopping “Woody’n You”. That same year Sims has a summit meeting with tenor titans John Coltrane, Hank Mobley and Johnny Griffin, more than holding his own with the rhythm secion of Red Garland/p, Paul Chambers/b and Art Taylor/dr as they trade fours on “Just You, Just Me” and let the sparks fly on “Tenor Conclave”.
Sims and Cohn get together to in 1957 with a then obscure pianist named Mose Allison, as well as West Coasters Teddy Kotick/b and Nick Stabulas/dr for a fun “Halley’s Comet” and “Two Funky People”, with Sims blowing smoke rings on “Gone With The Wind’. The next year the two stretch out with some Basie alumni including Harry “Sweets” Edison/tp and Freddie Green/g for some modernized takes of chestnuts like “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “King Porter Stomp”. A real ringer is Sims teaming up with vocalist Annie Ross in 1960 along with West Coasters Russ Freeman/p, Jim Hall/g, Monty Budwig/b and Mel Lewis-Frankie Capp/dr for a hip set of Ellingtonia like “I’m Just A Lucky So and So” and “I Didn’t Know About You” as well as “You Took Advantage of Me”. The same year has Sims back with Cohn for some long toned circular breathing that is literally breathtaking on “Angel Eyes”, spported by Major Holly/b-voc, Mose Allison/p and Osie . Swing is the thing!
Moving up to the 1970s, Sims joins with the swinging guitar of Bucky Pizzarelli for a collection of bopping duets including the glowing “Willow Weep For Me”, and you’ll never miss the drummer on ‘What Is This Thing Called Love?” or “Take Ten”. Sublime pulses, with Sims at his foggy best.
The last two are a pair of meetings in the mid 1970s between Sims and the l egendary hot swing violinist Joe Venuti. The heat is on with Milt Hinton/b, Bobby Rosengarden/dr, Spiegel Willcox/tb and John Bunch/p, with the vet trombonist stealing the show on “Don’t Take Your Love From Me” while the team tears through “Avalon” and “I Got Rhythm” . Sims plays a bit of soprano quite successfully in a torrid take of “I Found a New Baby” that has the high pitched duo hitting the ozone layer on the climax while the gents show no generation gap on “Oh, Lady Be Good” and “(Back Home Again) In Indiana”. These are collaborations for the ages.
The distinctive feature of Sims’ playing is that he always played with the Old School “two step” to his beat, and while it may have been an anachronism to some artists, Sims made it sound timeless up until the day he died. Rhythm was his business.