Zoot Sims on Prestige (V) [as co-leader]

 Starting in his youth, saxophonist Zoot Sims fashioned his seemingly effortless sound from the music of early masters Lester Young and Ben Webster. Playing alongside some of jazz's great bandleaders, accompanists and soloists — and eventually as a leader himself — Sims then refined that sound over a long and productive career. Never a musician to chase trends, he always kept two classic jazz principles in mind: Always play with indomitable swing, and have faith in the infinite variety to be gleaned from a familiar set of chord changes.

Zoot Sims was a highly regarded leader and co-leader in jazz, known for his co-leadership with Al Cohn in the 1950s and 1960s. While he also released numerous albums as a leader in the mid-to-late 1950s, his career was characterized by both leadership and collaborative efforts. Sims's leadership style was described as favoring smaller ensembles, where he could exercise more creative freedom. 

Sims expressed a preference for smaller ensembles over larger ones, stating that it offered greater freedom for creative expression, especially for the leader. He felt he could choose the tunes and tempos he desired, according to a Jazz Professional interview. 

Despite his successful leadership periods, Sims was also a highly sought-after sideman, known for his collaborative spirit and ability to contribute to various musical settings.

The next two albums clearly show Zoot's collaborative spirit:

Stan Getz • Zoot Sims • Al Cohn • Allen Eager • Brew Moore

The Brothers

The five tenor saxophonists featured here are of the highest calibre. Getz, since his early days with Woody Herman, has always been one of the most outstanding voices in jazz. His tremendous inventiveness and still-unusual sound has, in 4 sense, kept him in a class by himself. Zoot Sims, another Herman graduate, who plays with a fire-like quality and an uncanny sense of "time", never ceases to amaze even his fellow-musicians. The multi-talented (player, composer, arranger) Al Cohn projects a mournful, lyrical quality that’s rare even in this era of "soul" music. Mr. Eager, for the benefit of our "newer" jazz listeners, was one of the leading lights in the earlier days of modern 

jazz. An extremely vital player, it's our loss that he now chooses to race Italian sport cars for the rent money. I'm sure you'll agree on hearing the enclosed. 

Brew Moore, currently enjoying great popularity in the Scandinavian countries, is another name synonomous with the earlier "New York Tenor School". In this album, we hear these five great tenor players in one of the most memorable recording sessions ever.

In an extension of the now-famous Herman "Four Brothers" sound, here the boys play some highly-melo-dic compositions by Gerry Mulligan and Al Cohn. In most cases of "all-star" groups, the music suffers because of frantic attempts to out-do each other. Not so, in the case of this album. Possibly it's because of the closeness of the men involved, both personally and musically. In any event, on The Brothers, the soloists prod each other on in a positive sense, never losing sight of the fact that ‘each is part of the whole. The results being, a rousing, happy collection of tunes with plenty of meaningful improvisation. I personally, would like to see these guys get together more often. 

On the second half of this set you'll hear two of "the brothers", Al and Zoot with trombonist Kai Winding. Possibly this is the seed from which the present Al Cohn-Zoot Sims group grew. Each compliments the other's playing so well, it seems only natural that they should merge. Their kind of jazz is a light, swinging, happy one. The tunes are simple, the charts are tasty and the blowing is superb

Being a disc-jockey and not a musician, I can't get technical about the music enclosed and I'm happy for it. This is not the kind of music anyone should get technical about. Inside this jacket are good jazz musicians, good jazz tunes, good jazz arrangements. All in all, just good jazz! Who can ask for anything more? *Les Davis (liner notes)*

A classic Prestige LP that compiles earlier sides by the young tenor genius Stan Getz – four tunes from a 1949 session recorded under Stan Getz & His Four Brothers, with tenor work from Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Allen Eager, and Brew Moore – all blowing with Getz in a real "brothers-like" sax section sound. The remaining 4 tracks feature Stan and Al Cohn, working in a 1952 session with George Wallington on piano and Kai Winding on trombone – on some nice light boppish tracks that have that sweet smooth Getz tone firmly in place. The album's got a great Don Martin cover, and titles include "Battleground", "Five Brothers", "Four & One Moore", "Red Door", and "Zoot Case". Plus this CD issue includes 3 alternate takes, too!  *Dusty Groove, Inc.*

1 - Five Brothers

(Gerry Mulligan)

2 - Five Brothers (alternate take)

(Gerry Mulligan)

3 - Battle Of The Saxes

(Al Cohn)

4- Four And One Moore

(Gerry Mulligan)

5. Four And One Moore (alternate take)

(Gerry Mulligan)

6 - Battleground

(Al Cohn)

7 - Battleground (alternate take)

(Al Cohn)

8 - The Red Door

(Zoot Sims)

9 - Zootcase

(Zoot Sims)

10 - Tangerine

(Schertzinger, Mercer)

11 - Morning Sun

(Zoot Sims, Al Cohn)

#1 to #7: Stan Getz And His Four Brothers

Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Allen Eager, Brew Moore (tenor saxes);

Walter Bishop (piano); Gene Ramey (bass); Charlie Perry (drums).

Recorded in New York City, April 8, 1949.

#8 to #11: Zoot Sims And Al Cohn

Zoot Sims, Al Cohn (tenor saxes); Kai Winding (trombone);

George Wallington (piano); Percy Heath (bass); Art Blakey (drums).

Recorded in New York City, September 8, 1952. 

✳✳✳

Hank Mobley • Al Cohn • John Coltrane • Zoot Sims

Tenor Conclave

An unusually clarifying and multiply successful confrontation. This LP should provide much immediate illumination for anyone whose curiosity has not been wholly satisfied concerning the difference between the two major trends of modern tenor and the variation in each. To help further, Ira Gitler has contributed the most accurate and clearest discussion of the subject I've yet seen in print. I'd suggest you read his genealogical tracing and corollary descriptions in the notes before hearing the record.

As Gitler points out, Zoot and Al are in the Basie–Young tradition with some Parker influence. Mobley and Coltrane come directly from Parker and each has complementary influences. Sims and Cohn are "brothers", Gitler adds, while Mobley and Coltrane's differences are somewhat wider, so they could be called "cousins". All four respond to the challenge, and for the most part, are at the top of their form. Coltrane, who has been improving rapidly, never has struck me as impressively as he does here. The rhythm section is just right, and there are bonus Chambers solos. On the record, the titles for Tenor Conclave and Bob's Boys have been switched. The LP represents a valuable a&r idea and is an indication of a reenergization of the creative thinking at Prestige that should lead to an important year for them — and for us. *Nat Hentoff (Down Beat, April 30, 1957)*

These four sides should not be hard to locate, as the primary participants in this November 30, 1956, session have all issued them within their individual catalogs. However Tenor Conclave was first released as credited to the "leaderless" Prestige All-Stars — consisting of tenor saxophonists John Coltrane, Hank Mobley, Al Cohn, and Zoot Sims. Providing support are pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Taylor. The Mobley-penned title track commences the effort with the quartet of tenors showing off their stuff in high-flying style. It takes a couple of passes and somewhat of a trained ear to be able to link the players with their contributions, but as is often the case, the whole tends to be greater than the sum of the parts. After a brief introduction with all four rapidly reeling off short riffs, Mobley charges ahead into truly inspired territory. The midtempo take of "Just You, Just Me" keeps things lively with a light swinging pace that is custom-made for bringing the combo's jocular side to the surface, particularly toward the end as they "trade fours," with each tenor blowing four bars before passing the melody on. The other Mobley composition is "Bob's Boys," and by all accounts it is the most compelling piece on the outing. The blues-based tune rollicks as Coltrane, Mobley, Cohn, and Sims find themselves configured in a seeming myriad of sonic face-offs. Wrapping up Tenor Conclave is an ultra-cool and sophisticated "How Deep Is the Ocean?" Cohn commences the long and luscious reading with a subtle strength, suggesting the powerful undercurrent flowing throughout the number. Also, listeners are treated to what is possibly Garland's finest interaction, leading right into Sims, Chambers, and finally a sublime Coltrane caboose. *Lindsay Planer*

1 - Tenor Conclave

(Hank Mobley)

2 - Just You, Just Me

(Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages)

3 - Bob's Boys

(Hank Mobley)

4 - How Deep Is the Ocean

(Irving Berlin)

Hank Mobley, Al Cohn, John Coltrane, Zoot Sims (tenor saxes);

Red Garland (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Art Taylor (drums).

Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, September 7, 1956