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

Kai Winding Sextet & Red Rodney Quintet - Broadway

Broadway is the name of many streets but there is one Broadway, if you know what I mean. 

Broadway is also the name of a tune which is dedicated to the street that I mean. 

Broadway in the late '40s was the stamping ground —or, more accurately, the stomping ground— for the young modernists who had learned from Lester Young and the Charlie Parker-Dizzy Gillespie axis. They chipped in to rent rehearsal studios in the Broadway area where they could jam if they were not working. When they did work, it was at the Three Deuces —the last holdout to feature modern jazz on 52nd Street— or on Broadway at the Roost and its successor, Bop City. 

Broadway was played quite often at the studio sessions like the ones held at Don Jose’s in the summer of 1949. 

Gerry Mulligan, Brew Moore, George Wallington, and Red Rodney were frequent participants. Anytime Mulligan is involved, there is a good chance that Broadway will be played in one form or another. His Gold Rush is based on Broadway. Broadway and/or Gold Rush have shown up in groups in which he has been a sideman, and in the various combos and orchestras he has led. 

Broadway is an example of these musicians' link to the Count Basie-Lester Young tradition. Count recorded it in 1940 with Pres as the featured soloist, and it captured the imagination of a generation of players.

This is the music they were playing on and around Broadway in the late '40s and early '50s. Broadway has changed and so has the music. Broadway has also endured. So has Broadway.

*Ira Gitler (liner notes)*

Kai Winding Sextet & Red Rodney Quintet

Broadway

Side 1

1 - A Night On Bop Mountain

(Winding)

2 - Waterworks

(Mulligan)

3 - Broadway

(McRay, Rayven)

4 - Sid's Bounce

(Kaminsky)

5 - Red Wig

(Rodney)

Side 2

6 - The Baron

(Rodney)

7 - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

(Kern, T. B. Harms)

8 - Coogan's Bluff

(Rodney)

9 - This Time The Dream's On Me

(Arlen, Mercer, Remick)

10 - If You Are But A Dream

(Jaffe, Fulton, Bronx)

11 - Mark

(Rodney)

#1 to #4:

(Originally as part of "Modern Jazz Trombones" [Prestige PRLP 109])

Kai Winding (trombone), Brew Moore (tenor sax), Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax), George Wallington (piano), Curly Russell (bass), Roy Haynes (drums).

Recorded in New York, August 23, 1949.

#5 to #11:

(Originally "The New Sounds" [Prestige PRLP 122])

Red Rodney (trumpet), Jim Ford (alto sax), Phil Raphael (piano), Phil Leshin (bass), Phil Brown (drums).

Recorded in New York, September 27, 1951. 

Brew Moore - Quartet & Quintet

"My main idea is to get back to simplicity", says Brew Moore of his work these days. "I like a small group —such as the quintet we have on this album— where there is no other front line and I can let myself go. The biggest kick to me in playing is swinging — freedom and movement. And with a small group, I can do this more easily". 

"Music must be a personal expression of one’s own world and way of life. When everything else gets to be a drag there is music for forgetfulness and also for memory and for a reminder that there is more good than bad in most things. The idea of playing for me is to compose a different, not always better I’m afraid, melody on the tune and basis of the original song, rather than construct a series of chord progressions around the original chords. I feel that in several spots in this group of tunes we attain the rapport necessary for good jazz. I hope so". 

And when you listen to these numbers, you will agree that Brew has done what he set out to do. These all swing and even Brew, who is most critical of his own work ("I guess I never have been happy with anything I did") had to say of this album, "It swings. You can say that". 

For this album, Brew assembled the kind of group he is most at home with. It was by and large the same group with which he worked off and on during most of 1955 and ’56 in San Francisco. 

This is an informal album, relaxed and easy as Brew wanted it. The tunes are the sort of things he plays at night in the various clubs where he works — ballads, the blues, original tunes. On all of them, one aspect or another of Brew’s musical character gets a chance to show itself. 

One of the numbers, "Fools Rush In", was cut at a concert at the University of California in August of 1955. I am particularly fond of the way Brew plays Johnny Mercer’s lovely ballad. Brew is a swinger, true; but when he plays a beautiful tune like this, his tone and his concept are as big and as warm as anyone could want. 

Brew has two absolutely golden gifts. He swings like mad and he has soul. These are things you cannot learn by woodshedding, or in any conservatory. You have to be born with them or learn them by living. Brew had them and he also has a priceless gift for phrasing. *Ralph J. Gleason (Liner notes)*

Lesterian tenor saxophonist Brew Moore (1924-1973) spent much of his career like an archetypal Fifties counterculture icon, always on the move, turning up in New York, or San Francisco, Copenhagen or Stockholm for a year or so, playing beautifully and then disappearing. Unsurprisingly, he left very few recordings, particularly of his early US career, which makes this collection, recorded on the West Coast, particularly valuable.

The three dates included on this set were all cut in San Francisco with local (and now obscure) musicians: trumpeter Dick Mills, pianist John Marabuto, bassist Max Hartstein, drummer Gus Gustofson and guitarist Eddie Duran. Marabuto contributed three originals; Mills wrote "Rotation", and the other four songs are familiar standards. Moore plays well (despite a hectic lifestyle, he was pretty consistent on records) and the music is relaxed and swinging. *Jordi Pujol*

 

Side 1

01 - I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me

(McHugh)

02 - Fools Rush In

(Mercer)

03 - Rotation

(Mills)

04 - I Want A Little Girl

(Mencher, Moll)

05 - Five Planets In Leo

(Marabuto)

Side 2

06 - Them There Eyes

(Pinkard)

07 - Them Old Blues

(Marabuto)

08 - Tea For Two

(Youmans)

09 - Rose

(Marabuto)

#1, #2, #5, #6, #8:

Brew Moore (tenor sax), John Marabuto (piano), Eddie Duran (guitar #2), Max Hartstein (bass), Gus Gustafson (drums).

Recorded at University of California, San Francisco, August 1955 (#2) and Marines Memorial Hall, San Francisco, January 15, 1956 (#1, #5, #6, #8).

#3, #4, #7, #9:

Brew Moore (tenor sax), Dick Mills (trumpet), John Marabuto (piano), Max Hartstein (bass), Gus Gustafson (drums).

Recorded at Marines Memorial Hall, San Francisco, February 22, 1956. 

Kai Winding - Kai Winding All Stars

It is particularly fitting that this Kai Winding album should appear at this time. Now that bop, as we knew it, has foundered — has drawn what seems to be its last fresh line, it has become necessary to be extra selective in our listening. From this fresh vantage point, it is now evident that only a handful of individuals contributed freshness and vitality to the most violent revolution which jazz has ever been through. And several of those individuals are herein present.

Kai Winding was one of the first of the young modern musicians to take the trouble and the trombone through the experimental stages that the other horns and instruments were exploring. He lent an enviable technique to jazz, best proof of which existed and exists in the fact that his work on valve or slide trombone is nearly interchangeable to even the trained ear.

But technique and speed are only two facets of the Winding talent. As a balladier or a bellower he is equally effective, most distinctive in the latter because of a strident, snarling, rather than growling, sound.

And Kai is surrounded here, happily, with some outstanding talent. The records which include Gerry Mulligan are Mulligan arrangements, early proof, if any is needed, of the Mulligan sounds and skills, and advance notices of similar ideas applied to the Miles Davis group. Brew Moore lends his tenor to all eight sides. Composer-pianist George Wallington gives distinction to the first four sides, pianist Lou Stein to the last four. Curley Russell and Max Roach swing as well on the first four as Jack Lesberg and Don Lamond do on the last. Instrumentally, then, this is practically an all-star group — the tunes and performances do justice to the roll-call of stars.

Throughout these eight sides is much of the best that modern music had or has to offer. Admirably performed, it’s all for the listener's long playing. *Bill Coss (liner notes)*

Side 1

1 - Wallington's Godchild

(Wallington)

2 - Bop City

(Winding)

3 - Sleepy Bop

(Winding)

4 - Crossing The Channel

(Mulligan)

Side 2

5 - Honey

(Gillespie, Simons, Whiting)

6 - Someone To Watch Over Me

(G. & I. Gershwin)

7 - Harem Buffet

(Winding)

8 - Cheek To Cheek

(Irving Berlin)

#1 to #4:

Kai Winding (trombone), Brew Moore (tenor sax), Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax), George Wallington (piano), Curly Russell (bass), Max Roach (drums).

Recorded in New York City, April 10, 1949.

#5 to #8:

Kai Winding (trombone), Brew Moore (tenor sax), Lou Stein (piano), Jack Lesberg (bass), Don Lamond (drums).

Recorded in New York City, July 13, 1951.

Stan Getz • Zoot Sims • Al Cohn - The Brothers

The music on this LP recalls the airy "Four Brothers" sound that tenor saxophonists Stan Getz, Zoot Sims and Herbie Steward, and baritone saxophonist Serge Charloff, plied in Woody Herman's band of 1947. For this outing, Steward and Charloff exit, and four become five with the addition of tenor luminaries Al Cohn, Brew Moore, and Allen Eager. The set appropriately kicks off with Gerry Mulligan's "Five Brothers," a tune reminiscent of Jimmy Giuffre's original "Four Brothers" in its fluid and bouncy arrangement. Three other attractive and similarly disposed originals (one more by Mulligan and two by Cohn) complete the saxophone session from 1949, all featuring swinging statements by each soloist. A 1952 sextet date led by Sims and Cohn is also included, offering up another round of original and buoyantly swinging cuts, bolstered by lively contributions from trombonist Kai Winding and solid rhythmic support by pianist George Wallington, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Art Blakey. A fine release that nicely showcases the cool, proto-West Coast bop forged by both these soloists and Miles Davis. *Stephen Cook*

Side 1

1 - Five Brothers

(Mulligan)

2 - Battle Of The Saxes

(Cohn)

3 - Four And One More

(Mulligan)

4 - Battleground

(Cohn)

5 - The Red Door

(Sims)

Side 2

6 - Morning Fun

(Cohn, Sims)

7 - Tangerine

(Schertzinger, Mercer)

8 - Zootcase

(Sims)

Tracks #1 to #4:

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.

Tracks #5 to #8:

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.