John Haley "Zoot" Sims was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor but alto saxophone.
13 Facts About Zoot Sims
2.
Zoot Sims first gained attention in the "Four Brothers" sax section of Woody Herman's big band, afterward enjoying a long solo career, often in partnership with fellow saxmen Gerry Mulligan and Al Cohn.
3.
Zoot Sims's father was a vaudeville hoofer, and Sims prided himself on remembering many of the steps his father taught him.
4.
Zoot Sims initially modelled his playing on the work of Lester Young, Ben Webster, and Don Byas.
5.
Zoot Sims joined Benny Goodman's band for the first time in 1943.
6.
Zoot Sims replaced Ben Webster in Sid Catlett's Quartet of 1944.
7.
Zoot Sims served as a corporal in the United States Army Air Force from 1944 to 1946, then returned to music in the bands of Artie Shaw, Stan Kenton, and Buddy Rich.
8.
Zoot Sims appeared on more than 20 Pablo albums, mostly as a featured solo artist, but as a backing musician for artists including Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, and Clark Terry.
9.
Between 1974 and 1983, Zoot Sims recorded six studio albums with pianist Jimmy Rowles in a quartet setting that critic Scott Yanow wrote feature Zoot Sims at his best.
10.
Zoot Sims played a 30-second solo on the song "Poetry Man", written by singer Phoebe Snow on her debut eponymous album in 1974.
11.
Zoot Sims played on Laura Nyro's "Lonely Women", on her album Eli and the Thirteenth Confession.
12.
Zoot Sims' last studio recording was a November, 1984 trio session featuring bassist Red Mitchell, recorded in Sweden and released in 1985 by Sonet records.
13.
Zoot Sims died of lung cancer on March 23,1985, in New York City, and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, in Nyack, New York.