Archive for the ‘Zoot Sims’ Category
Jimmy Raney, Jim Hall & Zoot Sims: Two Jims and Zoot (1964 – Mobile Fidelity)
After the first of two stints with Stan Getz in 1951-52, clean, crisp swing/bop guitarist Jimmy Raney recorded his first handful of albums as a leader in the mid 1950s – including Five (1954) and Indian Summer (1956). By the mid 1960s, Raney’s bout with alcoholism forced him into a decade-long hiatus during which time he relocated back to his childhood home of Louisville, Kentucky. A real shame this was, since this piano-less quintet date featuring Jim Hall, recorded shortly before that hiatus, far exceeds the quality of his earlier leader dates and reveals a career highlight.
A gentle Steve Swallow and a stationary Osie Johnson leave Raney and Hall in the spotlight throughout “Move It,” an up-tempo swinger near the end of the record. Hall is surprisingly active – one might even say aggressive – during sections of Raney’s improvisation here. But because there’s a stable rhythm section and no piano, it’s the open interaction between the complete-line comping from Hall and the western-swing infused bop runs from Raney that makes this track more than a worthwhile listen.
Eric Novod (www.jazz.com Review)
Original Release Date: September 1964 – Label: Mobile Fidelity
Colorado Jazz Party "Live at Dick Gibson’s" (1971, Vinyl – BASF)
It is surprising that the music on this LP has not been reissued yet on CD for there are many exciting performances. Taken from Dick Gibson’s 1971 Colorado Jazz Party, there are mini-sets from four separate groups. Trumpeters Clark Terry and Harry “Sweets” Edison lead a six-horn nonet (which includes Zoot Sims’ tenor) for spirited versions of “On the Trail” and “The Hymn.” Terry gets a chance to stretch out with tenor-saxophonist Flip Phillips in a quintet while a similar-sized group showcases the underrated trombonist Carl Fontana and James Moody on tenor. Finally there is a four-trombone septet (with Fontana, Kai Winding, Urbie Green and an effective Trummy Young) performing long versions of “Undecided” and “Lover, Come Back to Me.” Fans of straightahead jazz who run across this two-fer will not need to be told twice to get it.
Scott Yanow
01. Just Squeeze Me
02. The Hymn
03. On the Trail
04. I’m Getting Sentimental Over You
05. Georgia On My Mind
06. Billie’s Bounce
Personnel:
Clark Terry, Harry Edison, Kai Winding, Urbie Green, Zoot Sims, Budd Johnson, Vicotr Feldman, Lyn Christie, Alan Dawson… play On the Trail; The Hymn;
Clark Terry, Flip Phillips, Victor Feldman, Lyn Christie & Cliff Leeman play Just Squeeze Me; I’m Getting Sentimental Over You / Georgia on My Mind / Billie’s Bounce.
(A live Concert recorded in 1971, but not on CD yet)
Across Rhythm 