Biography by Scott Yanow
Throughout his career, Zoot Sims was famous for epitomizing the swinging musician, never playing an inappropriate phrase. He
always sounded inspired, and although his style did not change much
after the early 1950s, Zoot's enthusiasm and creativity never wavered.
Zoot's family was involved in vaudeville, and he played drums and clarinet as a youth. His older brother, Ray Sims, developed into a fine trombonist who sounded like Bill Harris. At
age 13, Sims switched permanently to the tenor, and his initial
inspiration was Lester Young, although he soon developed his own
cool-toned sound. Sims
was a professional by the age of 15, landing his first important job
with Bobby Sherwood's Orchestra, and he joined Benny Goodman's big band
for the first time in 1943; he would be one of BG's favorite tenormen
for the next 30 years. He recorded with Joe Bushkin in 1944, and even at that early stage, his style was largely set.
After a period in the Army, Sims was with Goodman from 1946-1947. He gained his initial fame as one of Woody Herman's "Four Brothers" during his time with the Second Herd (1947-1949). Zoot had brief stints with Buddy Rich's short-lived big band, Artie Shaw, Goodman (1950), Chubby Jackson, and Elliot Lawrence. He toured and recorded with Stan Kenton (1953) and Gerry Mulligan (1954-1956). Sims
was also a star soloist with Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band of the early
'60s and visited the Soviet Union with Benny Goodman in 1962. A
freelancer throughout most of his career, Sims often led his own combos
or co-led bands with his friend Al Cohn; the two tenors had very
similar sounds and styles. Zoot started doubling on soprano quite effectively in the '70s. Through the years, he appeared in countless situations, and always seemed to come out ahead. Fortunately,
Zoot Sims recorded frequently, leading sessions for Prestige,
Metronome, Vogue, Dawn, Storyville, Argo, ABC-Paramount, Riverside,
United Artists, Pacific Jazz, Bethlehem, Colpix, Impulse, Groove
Merchant, Famous Door, Choice, Sonet, and a wonderful series for Pablo.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/zoot-sims-mn0000228087/biography
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Biografía de Scott Yanow
Review by Ken Dryden
Zoot Sims and Al Cohn always made great music together; this live recording documents portions of two nights' work together at the Half Note in New York City, assisted by pianist Mose Allison, bassist Nabil Totah and drummer Paul Motian. Their brisk setting of "Lover, Come Back to Me" features Cohn, Sims and Allison soloing in turn, building the fire before the eventual trading of fours between the tenor saxophonists. After a relaxed rendition of "It Had to Be You," alto saxophonist Phil Woods is added to the mix for the next two numbers, recorded the very next evening. The guest sets up the percolating mid-tempo setting of "Wee Dot," with the tenors following him. The delightful interplay within the long workout of "After You've Gone" signals the chemistry between the three friends. Bop and cool fans will want to make any effort to hear this excellent release.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-alive-a-night-at-the-half-note-mw0000038034
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Reseña de Ken Dryden
Zoot Sims y Al Cohn siempre hicieron gran música juntos; esta grabación en vivo documenta porciones de dos noches de trabajo juntos en el Half Note en la ciudad de Nueva York, asistidos por el pianista Mose Allison, el bajista Nabil Totah y el baterista Paul Motian. Su enérgico escenario de "Lover, Come Back to Me" presenta a Cohn, Sims y Allison en solitario, encendiendo el fuego antes del eventual intercambio de cuatros entre los saxofonistas tenores. Después de una interpretación relajada de "It Had to Be You", el saxofonista alto Phil Woods se añade a la mezcla de los dos números siguientes, grabados la noche siguiente. El invitado prepara el escenario de medio tiempo de "Wee Dot", con los tenores siguiéndole. La deliciosa interacción dentro del largo entrenamiento de "After You've Gone" señala la química entre los tres amigos. Los fans del Bop y del cool querrán hacer cualquier esfuerzo para escuchar este excelente lanzamiento.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-alive-a-night-at-the-half-note-mw0000038034
Review
by Ken Dryden
Al Cohn and Bob Brookmeyer appeared on a number of record dates together, each appearing as a sideman with the other, in addition to joint appearances on a number of Manny Albam-led sessions, among others. But this disc, initially issued by Coral on LP in 1957, was one of the hardest to acquire until its 2005 reissue as a limited-edition CD. With the assistance of pianist Mose Allison, bassist Teddy Kotick, and drummer Nick Stabulas in the rhythm section, Cohn and Brookmeyer inspire one another throughout the sessions. Brookmeyer contributed the upbeat "Good Spirits" and breezy "Lazy Man Stomp." Cohn's strong originals include the cool ballad "Winter" and the swinging "Back to Back." They also update a number of standards from earlier decades, including Brookmeyer's exotic setting of "Ill Wind" (a terrific feature for Cohn) and Cohn's surprisingly uptempo setting of the usually hackneyed "Chloe." Since this CD reissue will no longer be available after March 2008, cool jazz fans are advised not to miss this edition.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-al-cohn-quintet-featuring-bob-brookmeyer-mw0000471918
///////
Reseña
por Ken Dryden
Al Cohn y Bob Brookmeyer aparecieron en varias fechas de grabación juntos, cada uno apareciendo como sideman con el otro, además de las apariciones conjuntas en una serie de sesiones dirigidas por Manny Albam, entre otros. Pero este disco, publicado inicialmente por Coral en LP en 1957, era uno de los más difíciles de adquirir hasta su reedición en 2005 como CD de edición limitada. Con la ayuda del pianista Mose Allison, el bajista Teddy Kotick y el batería Nick Stabulas en la sección rítmica, Cohn y Brookmeyer se inspiran mutuamente a lo largo de las sesiones. Brookmeyer contribuyó con la alegre "Good Spirits" y la perezosa "Lazy Man Stomp". Los fuertes originales de Cohn incluyen la fresca balada "Winter" y el swing "Back to Back". También actualizan una serie de estándares de décadas anteriores, incluyendo el exótico ajuste de Brookmeyer de "Ill Wind" (una característica estupenda para Cohn) y el sorprendente ajuste de Cohn de la habitualmente trillada "Chloe". Dado que esta reedición en CD ya no estará disponible después de marzo de 2008, se recomienda a los aficionados al cool jazz que no se pierdan esta edición.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-al-cohn-quintet-featuring-bob-brookmeyer-mw0000471918
Artist Biography
Mose
Allison was born in the Mississippi Delta on his grandfathers farm near
the village of Tippo. At five he discovered he could play the piano by
ear and began picking out blues and boogie tunes he heard on the local
jukebox. In high school he listened to the music of Louis Armstrong,
Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Louis Jordan, and his prime inspiration,
Nat Cole of the King Cole Trio. He played trumpet in the marching and
dance bands and started writing his own songs.
After a year at
the University of Mississippi, he went to the Army in l946, playing in
the Army Band in Colorado Springs and performing with accomplished
musicians from around the country in small groups at NCO and Officers
clubs. Returning to Ole Miss he joined the dance band as arranger, piano
and trumpet player, but shortly left to form his own trio, playing
piano and singing in a style heavily influenced by Nat Cole, Louis
Jordan and Erroll Garner. After a year on the road, Mose married,
returned to college at Louisiana State University and graduated in 1952
with a BA in English and Philosophy.
He worked in nightclubs
throughout the Southeast and West, blending the raw blues of his
childhood with modern pianistic influences of John Lewis, Thelonius Monk
and Al Haig. His vocal style was influenced by blues singers Percy
Mayfield and Charles Brown. Arriving in New York in 1956, Mose received
encouragement, work and a record date from Al Cohn. In 1957 he secured
his own first recording contract with Prestige Records, recording Back
Country Suite, a collection of pieces evoking the Mississippi Delta,
released to unanimous critical acclaim. Mose went on to play and record
with jazz greats Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims and Gerry Mulligan as
well as with his own Mose Allison Trio.
Mose continued working
with his own trio, writing and singing his own songs. His songs are a
fusion of rustic blues and jazz, embellished with profound and often
humorous lyrics. As a pianist, while admiring jazz masters Bud Powell
and Lenny Tristano, he also learned from composers such as Bartok, Ives,
Hindemith and Ruggles. The fusing of these diverse elements into a
cohesive performance continues today. A biography, One Mans Blues: The
Life and Music of Mose Allison, written by Patti Jones, was published in
1995 by Quartet Books Ltd. Of London.
Mose continues to write
and perform all over the world. His songs have been covered by Van
Morrison, John Mayall, The Who, The Clash, Eric Clapton, the Yardbirds,
Elvis Costello and Bonnie Raitt to name a few. Van Morrison recorded a
tribute album, Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison, on Verve
Records, and rockers like Pete Townshend, Bonnie Raitt, Ray Davies and
Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones have frequently cited Mose Allison as a
major influence.
His most recent Grammy nomination was for one
of his two newest recordings, Mose Chronicles, Live in London, Vol. I on
Blue Note Records. Mose Chronicles, Vol II was just released last year.
Also, British born Director Paul Barnays has produced a one hour
documentary on Mose, entitled Mose Allison; Ever Since I Stole the
Blues, for the BBC4 in the UK.
Among recent releases are a dozen
reissues on CD including Allison Wonderland and a double CD
retrospective on Rhino, and High Jinks, a three CD package on Legacy.
Blue Note has also re-released a collection of past recordings, Mose
Allison, Jazz Profiles. His music has often been used in movies, and he
can be seen performing in the recently released movie, The Score,
starring Robert DeNiro and Marlon Brando.
Mose resides on Long
Island with his wife Audre where they raised four children: Alissa, an
attorney, John, a telecommunication specialist, Janine, a psychiatrist,
and Amy Allison, also a successful and respected singer songwriter in
New York with her own group.
As one writer recently said: Mose is
now at the peak of his performing career. Although maybe this last
statement is not quite true as he seems to continue to improve on
perfection.
Mose John Allison Jr. was born in 1927 in Tippo,
Mississippi, a cotton town in the Mississippi delta. By the time Mose
was in grade school he was already composing boogie woogie tunes on the
piano. His father, a piano stride player himself, encouraged the young
Mose in his playing but also taught him the meaning of “work on the
farm.” Mose plowed cotton with a mule and said once that he is probably
one of the few remaining living bluesman who can honestly make that
claim. He grew up where “The blues was in the air.” While still in his
teens Mose was sitting in with R and B bands on Memphis's famed musical
mecca Beale Street. One of those bands was led by another teenage
bluesman, Beale Street Boy, better known as B. B. King. It was a full
decade before SUN Records discovery of Elvis Presley. In the 1940's in
the deep south it was not yet socially acceptable for races to mix in
public places. When it comes to music Mose says, “I just followed my
ears.”
In 1956 Mose migrated to New York where the jazz scene was
taking off. He staked out an artistic and musical niche that was both
respected and unique. Today, many in the industry view Mose as a
musician's musician, a singer's singer and a songwriter's songwriter.
Mose is still playing over 150 dates a year and considers his 40 years
on the road performing as “on the job training.” In the states Mose has a
loyal following but, it was in England during the 1960's where Mose got
the attention of many soon to be British Invaders. The Yardbirds, The
Who, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and others would soon be covering his
songs. Someone said to Mose once, “You were a social critic before
Dylan; you were satirical long before Newman; you were rude long before
Jagger; why aren't you a big star?” Mose's answer to that was, “Just
Lucky, I guess.” Mose's popularity in the states has been on a slow and
steady rise. As the man himself wrote, “If you live, your time will
come”. Perhaps Mose's time has finally come.
In a twenty month
period covering 1994-5, a biography on Mose entitled, One Man's Blues,
has been published in the UK, a studio CD on Blue Note was released
entitled, The Earth Wants You, a live set from the seventies was
released on indie CD entitled, Pure Mose, Rhino Records released a two
CD anthology entitled, Allison Wonderland and finally a three CD boxed
set from Sony, High Jinks!
Trilogy. Certainly it is wonderful time to be a Mose fan.
https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/moseallison
///////
Review/Notes
AMG review by Thom Jurek
Mose Allison's Ramblin' with Mose was released in 1958. Other than the opening track, a stellar read of Joe Liggins' blues "I Got a Right to Cry," this is an entirely instrumental album. Bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Ronnie Free accompany the pianist as he rips through "Stranger in Paradise" from the score of Kismet at a tempo that would make the composer dizzy; his "Old Devil Moon," moves through some Latin changes and even rhythmic figures before bringing the tune back to earth, and his own "Ramble" is a scorching back-country blues jaunt that offers some evidence of Allison's mighty left-hand skills. Allison displays absolutely brilliant instrumental prowess as both an arranger and as an improviser. His unique, often unorthodox interpretations of standards and pop songs set him apart from virtually every one of his peers.
Artist Biography
Artist Biography
Mose
Allison was born in the Mississippi Delta on his grandfathers farm near
the village of Tippo. At five he discovered he could play the piano by
ear and began picking out blues and boogie tunes he heard on the local
jukebox. In high school he listened to the music of Louis Armstrong,
Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Louis Jordan, and his prime inspiration,
Nat Cole of the King Cole Trio. He played trumpet in the marching and
dance bands and started writing his own songs.
After a year at
the University of Mississippi, he went to the Army in l946, playing in
the Army Band in Colorado Springs and performing with accomplished
musicians from around the country in small groups at NCO and Officers
clubs. Returning to Ole Miss he joined the dance band as arranger, piano
and trumpet player, but shortly left to form his own trio, playing
piano and singing in a style heavily influenced by Nat Cole, Louis
Jordan and Erroll Garner. After a year on the road, Mose married,
returned to college at Louisiana State University and graduated in 1952
with a BA in English and Philosophy.
He worked in nightclubs
throughout the Southeast and West, blending the raw blues of his
childhood with modern pianistic influences of John Lewis, Thelonius Monk
and Al Haig. His vocal style was influenced by blues singers Percy
Mayfield and Charles Brown. Arriving in New York in 1956, Mose received
encouragement, work and a record date from Al Cohn. In 1957 he secured
his own first recording contract with Prestige Records, recording Back
Country Suite, a collection of pieces evoking the Mississippi Delta,
released to unanimous critical acclaim. Mose went on to play and record
with jazz greats Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims and Gerry Mulligan as
well as with his own Mose Allison Trio.
Mose continued working
with his own trio, writing and singing his own songs. His songs are a
fusion of rustic blues and jazz, embellished with profound and often
humorous lyrics. As a pianist, while admiring jazz masters Bud Powell
and Lenny Tristano, he also learned from composers such as Bartok, Ives,
Hindemith and Ruggles. The fusing of these diverse elements into a
cohesive performance continues today. A biography, One Mans Blues: The
Life and Music of Mose Allison, written by Patti Jones, was published in
1995 by Quartet Books Ltd. Of London.
Mose continues to write
and perform all over the world. His songs have been covered by Van
Morrison, John Mayall, The Who, The Clash, Eric Clapton, the Yardbirds,
Elvis Costello and Bonnie Raitt to name a few. Van Morrison recorded a
tribute album, Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison, on Verve
Records, and rockers like Pete Townshend, Bonnie Raitt, Ray Davies and
Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones have frequently cited Mose Allison as a
major influence.
His most recent Grammy nomination was for one
of his two newest recordings, Mose Chronicles, Live in London, Vol. I on
Blue Note Records. Mose Chronicles, Vol II was just released last year.
Also, British born Director Paul Barnays has produced a one hour
documentary on Mose, entitled Mose Allison; Ever Since I Stole the
Blues, for the BBC4 in the UK.
Among recent releases are a dozen
reissues on CD including Allison Wonderland and a double CD
retrospective on Rhino, and High Jinks, a three CD package on Legacy.
Blue Note has also re-released a collection of past recordings, Mose
Allison, Jazz Profiles. His music has often been used in movies, and he
can be seen performing in the recently released movie, The Score,
starring Robert DeNiro and Marlon Brando.
Mose resides on Long
Island with his wife Audre where they raised four children: Alissa, an
attorney, John, a telecommunication specialist, Janine, a psychiatrist,
and Amy Allison, also a successful and respected singer songwriter in
New York with her own group.
As one writer recently said: Mose is
now at the peak of his performing career. Although maybe this last
statement is not quite true as he seems to continue to improve on
perfection.
Mose John Allison Jr. was born in 1927 in Tippo,
Mississippi, a cotton town in the Mississippi delta. By the time Mose
was in grade school he was already composing boogie woogie tunes on the
piano. His father, a piano stride player himself, encouraged the young
Mose in his playing but also taught him the meaning of “work on the
farm.” Mose plowed cotton with a mule and said once that he is probably
one of the few remaining living bluesman who can honestly make that
claim. He grew up where “The blues was in the air.” While still in his
teens Mose was sitting in with R and B bands on Memphis's famed musical
mecca Beale Street. One of those bands was led by another teenage
bluesman, Beale Street Boy, better known as B. B. King. It was a full
decade before SUN Records discovery of Elvis Presley. In the 1940's in
the deep south it was not yet socially acceptable for races to mix in
public places. When it comes to music Mose says, “I just followed my
ears.”
In 1956 Mose migrated to New York where the jazz scene was
taking off. He staked out an artistic and musical niche that was both
respected and unique. Today, many in the industry view Mose as a
musician's musician, a singer's singer and a songwriter's songwriter.
Mose is still playing over 150 dates a year and considers his 40 years
on the road performing as “on the job training.” In the states Mose has a
loyal following but, it was in England during the 1960's where Mose got
the attention of many soon to be British Invaders. The Yardbirds, The
Who, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and others would soon be covering his
songs. Someone said to Mose once, “You were a social critic before
Dylan; you were satirical long before Newman; you were rude long before
Jagger; why aren't you a big star?” Mose's answer to that was, “Just
Lucky, I guess.” Mose's popularity in the states has been on a slow and
steady rise. As the man himself wrote, “If you live, your time will
come”. Perhaps Mose's time has finally come.
In a twenty month
period covering 1994-5, a biography on Mose entitled, One Man's Blues,
has been published in the UK, a studio CD on Blue Note was released
entitled, The Earth Wants You, a live set from the seventies was
released on indie CD entitled, Pure Mose, Rhino Records released a two
CD anthology entitled, Allison Wonderland and finally a three CD boxed
set from Sony, High Jinks!
Trilogy. Certainly it is wonderful time to be a Mose fan.
https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/moseallison
///////