Zoot Sims

John Halley Sims, known as Zoot Sims , is a Saxophoniste of American Jazz , born the October 29th 1925 with Inglewood (California) and died in New York the March 23rd 1985.

Biography

Resulting from a family working in the " vaudeville" , he learns very young person the clarinet. At 13 years, it starts to practice the Saxophone tenor. Professional at 15 years, it belongs to many many big bands swing of which that of Benny Goodman in 1943. After his military service, one finds it in the orchestra Dixieland of the pianist Jess Stacy. In 1943, one finds it at Benny Goodman (it will go back there from 1946 to 1947, then, in 1962 for a round to the USSR). From 1947 to 1949, it belongs to the " Second Herd" of Woody Hermann. The section of saxophones of this orchestra, the " Furnace brothers" (Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, Herbie Stewart with the tenor and Serge Chaloff with the baritone), is one of most remarkable of the history of the jazz. One then sees it in the orchestra of Stan Kenton (1953-1953). From 1954, he becomes musician " free-lance" and records with a multitude of orchestras of studio. One can hear it on discs of Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Clifford Brown, Bob Brookmeyer, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald,… it records regularly under the direction of Gerry Mulligan (in his " Sextet" of 1954 to 1956, then with the " Concert Band" Jazz; in 1960). One can listen with interest, the album " Tenor conclave" where one finds it in a " all stars" saxophonists with the very different styles (John Coltrane, Hank Mobley and Al Cohn). In addition, it records many albums under its name, in particular with small formations Co-directed with his friend and fellow-member Al Cohn. It is in duet with Al Cohn that it accompanies the writer Jack Kerouac reciting some by her poems ( " blues & haikus" , 1958). From 1967, it takes part in many rounds with the " JATP" organized by Norman Granz. Besides from 1975 with 1984,1l records a series of albums for the label of this last ( " Pablo" ).

Especially known as saxophonist tenor, of which it also used the Alto saxophone in the Fifties and Soprano saxophone the soprano saxophone as from the Seventies.

Zoot Sims, whose style is strongly inspired by that Lester Young, is often regarded as more swinguant " Brothers".

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