Zoot Sims
Throughout his career, Zoot Sims was famous for epitomizing the swinging musician, never playing an inappropriate phrase. He always sounded inspired, and although his style did not change much after the early 1950s, Zoot's enthusiasm and creativity never wavered.
Zoot's family was involved in vaudeville, and he played drums and clarinet as a youth. His older brother, Ray Sims, developed into a fine trombonist who sounded like Bill Harris. At age 13, Sims switched permanently to the tenor, and his initial inspiration was Lester Young, although he soon developed his own cool-toned sound. Sims was a professional by the age of 15, landing his first important job with Bobby Sherwood's Orchestra, and he joined Benny Goodman's big band for the first time in 1943; he would be one of BG's favorite tenormen for the next 30 years. He recorded with Joe Bushkin in 1944, and even at that early stage, his style was largely set.
After a period in the Army, Sims was with Goodman from 1946-1947. He gained his initial fame as one of Woody Herman's "Four Brothers" during his time with the Second Herd (1947-1949). Zoot had brief stints with Buddy Rich's short-lived big band, Artie Shaw, Goodman (1950), Chubby Jackson, and Elliot Lawrence. He toured and recorded with Stan Kenton (1953) and Gerry Mulligan (1954-1956). Sims was also a star soloist with Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band of the early '60s and visited the Soviet Union with Benny Goodman in 1962. A freelancer throughout most of his career, Sims often led his own combos or co-led bands with his friend Al Cohn; the two tenors had very similar sounds and styles. Zoot started doubling on soprano quite effectively in the '70s. Through the years, he appeared in countless situations, and always seemed to come out ahead. Fortunately, Zoot Sims recorded frequently, leading sessions for Prestige, Metronome, Vogue, Dawn, Storyville, Argo, ABC-Paramount, Riverside, United Artists, Pacific Jazz, Bethlehem, Colpix, Impulse, Groove Merchant, Famous Door, Choice, Sonet, and a wonderful series for Pablo.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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Zoot Sims Recorded Live at E.J.'s
Moderne jazz - Released by Storyville on 20 aug. 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Four Classic Albums (Stretching Out / Starring Zoot Sims / Down Home / The Jazz Soul of Porgy and Bess) [Remastered]
Jazz - Released by Avid Entertainment on 3 jun. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Original Quintet/Sextet Studio Recordings
Jazz - Released by Lone Hill Jazz on 1 jan. 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz Milestones: Zoot Sims, Vol. 2
Jazz - Released by 21-Music on 10 okt. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete 1950-1953 Studio Masters
Jazz - Released by Jazz Moon on 15 mrt. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Rare Albums Collection
Jazz - Released by ENLIGHTENMENT on 12 jun. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Stretching out & Kansas City Revisited
Jazz - Released by Efor, S.L on 10 jan. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Zoot Sims Goes to Jazzville
Jazz - Released by Blue Moon on 10 aug. 1956
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Morning Fun
Jazz - Released by Zebralution - Black Lion on 31 jan. 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Joy Spring
Jazz - Released by Black Marlin Records on 19 dec. 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
West Coasting
Jazz - Released by Valuable Records on 21 nov. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Two Jims and Zoot
Zoot Sims, Jimmy Raney, Jim Hall
Jazz - Released by Mainstream Records on 1 jan. 1964
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
NEW BEAT BOSSA NOVA! (Remastered)
Bossa Nova - Released by RevOla on 17 okt. 2018
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Swingers!
Lambert Hendricks & Ross, Zoot Sims
Bebop - Released by Music Manager on 7 feb. 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross Jazz Sessions
Bebop - Released by Master Classics Records on 1 apr. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Al & Zoot (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Avid Entertainment on 20 okt. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Jazz Hour With Zoot Sims: Bohemia After Dark
Jazz - Released by Blaricum CD Company (B.C.D.) B.V. on 25 jun. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
New Beat Bossa Nova, Vol. 2 (Original Bossa Nova Album Plus Bonus Tracks)
Pop - Released by Brazilian Classics on 1 jan. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -