Zoot Sims on ABC-Paramount

[Late]

As far as I can tell, Zoot made just two records for ABC-Paramount, both utilizing an overdubbed horn section.

Zoot Sims Plays Alto, Tenor And Baritone
Johnny Williams: piano
Nabil Totah: bass
Gus Johnson: drums
George Handy: compositions
recorded November 2 & 19, 1956

Zoot Sims Plays 4 Altos
George Handy: piano & compositions
Nabil Totah: bass
Nick Stabulas: drums
recorded January 11, 1957

============================

These records are just as much George Handy records as they are Zoot Sims records. My first impression, however many years ago, was that the music (and hence compositions) was somewhat quaint. Zoot's playing is unimpeachable as always. Nowadays I'm enjoying Handy's writing more. And the way Zoot plays ensembles? Not an easy task, and Zoot makes it sound easy. Handy's composition "Blinuet" from Plays Alto, Tenor And Baritone ended up in a Wes Anderson film. It's one of the more memorable tracks from these sessions.

Anyone else a fan of these records?

Fresh Sounds put out a disc containing both albums quite a few years ago, but outside of that, I don't think either album has seen a digital release, not even from the Japanese market. Too bad, because both are swinging affairs.

[Larry Kart]

I enjoyed them back in the day, the four altos album more than the other. I think, though I can't be sure, because the liner notes on my reissued version don't say much, but you may have somewhat misdescribed how the records were made. Yes, the compositions are Handy's, and his lines have a distinctive flavor, but IIRC Zoot through multitrackiing improvises on those lines four times over almost throughout on each track. Thus  the total combined results are almost all Zoot's multi-layer improvisations, which do hang together to the point where one might think he were playing arrangements rather than just adding one Zoot solo on top of another and another and another. If I'm right about this, it was quite a feat, Also, Zoot's fluency on alto was something else.

[Fer Urbina]

Love both records, especially the 4 Altos, for which, Sims played the head and soloed, then Handy took the recording home, transcribed the solos, arranged them for four voices, and brought the stuff back for the overdubbing session. I think that doing this on alto instead of tenor was a great idea, it's a lighter sound, and few, if any, could have pulled it off like Sims did. Curio: on "The Last Day of Fall", Sims has a rare single-line solo -- Handy harmonized it for 4 saxes two years later for Hal McKusick's Cross Section: Saxes.

As for the other, the alto/tenor/bari, Sims did the overdubbing on the spot. Williams told me that the rhythm section killed time having drinks, and that they were hammered by the end of the session.

F

Edited November 13, 2021 by Fer Urbina

[jazzcorner]

11 hours ago, Late said:

As far as I can tell, Zoot made just two records for ABC-Paramount, both utilizing an overdubbed horn section.

Zoot Sims Plays Alto, Tenor And Baritone
Johnny Williams: piano
Nabil Totah: bass
Gus Johnson: drums
George Handy: compositions
recorded November 2 & 19, 1956

Zoot Sims Plays 4 Altos
George Handy: piano & compositions
Nabil Totah: bass
Nick Stabulas: drums
recorded January 11, 1957

============================

These records are just as much George Handy records as they are Zoot Sims records. My first impression, however many years ago, was that the music (and hence compositions) was somewhat quaint. Zoot's playing is unimpeachable as always. Nowadays I'm enjoying Handy's writing more. And the way Zoot plays ensembles? Not an easy task, and Zoot makes it sound easy. Handy's composition "Blinuet" from Plays Alto, Tenor And Baritone ended up in a Wes Anderson film. It's one of the more memorable tracks from these sessions.

Anyone else a fan of these records?

Fresh Sounds put out a disc containing both albums quite a few years ago, but outside of that, I don't think either album has seen a digital release, not even from the Japanese market. Too bad, because both are swinging affairs.

 

Have the "4 Altos" but missed the other one.

Edited November 13, 2021 by jazzcorner

[Late]

17 hours ago, Late said:

I don't think either album has seen a digital release ...

I just discovered that Plays Alto, Tenor And Baritone did see a digital release in the U.S., on this disc:

This disc is a "two-fer." It contains the entirety of Sims' Argo quartet session (Zoot!), but omits two tracks — even though they could've easily fit, but it's an Orrin Keepnews production, so naturally he had to tamper — from Plays Alto, Tenor And Baritone. The Fresh Sounds disc mentioned above contains all of Zoot! and all of Plays Alto, Tenor And Baritone. Jordi Pujol wins. Plays Four Altos, contrary to what I stated above, is on a different Fresh Sounds disc.

[jlhoots]

FWIW, I prefer the quartet session, Zoot!.

[Larry Kart]

On 11/13/2021 at 1:33 AM, Fer Urbina said:

Love both records, especially the 4 Altos, for which, Sims played the head and soloed, then Handy took the recording home, transcribed the solos, arranged them for four voices, and brought the stuff back for the overdubbing session. I think that doing this on alto instead of tenor was a great idea, it's a lighter sound, and few, if any, could have pulled it off like Sims did. Curio: on "The Last Day of Fall", Sims has a rare single-line solo -- Handy harmonized it for 4 saxes two years later for Hal McKusick's Cross Section: Saxes.

As for the other, the alto/tenor/bari, Sims did the overdubbing on the spot. Williams told me that the rhythm section killed time having drinks, and that they were hammered by the end of the session.

F

Sorry if my previous semi-misguided post confused things, The account above of how this recording was made is correct. That is, Zoot improvised solos on Handy's pieces.   Handy then harmonized those in-the-can  solos for four voices, and Zoot at the next session overdubbed Handy's harmonizations of his solo lines. Thus, the results one might say were a 50-50 proposition. Quite a feat in any case on the part of both Handy and Zoot.

BTW, speaking of Zoot on alto, listen to his lovely lyrical alto solo on  "Saro Jane" from John Benson Brooks' "Folk Jazz I.S.A."

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

weird.  ill have to preview it

ABC jazz lps are impossible to find.  Did they have low low distribution or pressing numbers?  

I have a WLP Quincy Jones and its a full west coast jazz orchestra including Art Pepper.  then i have a stock sampler which incls. a mundell lowe track and thats it besides all the Candido lps. the kenny dorham i havent found yet.  abc paramount!  its not Tina Brooks True Blue on Blue Note!  Abc Paramount!  I should of got it by now i would of thought,,,,,

 

Edited November 18, 2021 by chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez

[jazzcorner]

1 hour ago, chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez said:

weird.  ill have to preview it

ABC jazz lps are impossible to find.  Did they have low low distribution or pressing numbers?  

I have a WLP Quincy Jones and its a full west coast jazz orchestra including Art Pepper.  then i have a stock sampler which incls. a mundell lowe track and thats it besides all the Candido lps. the kenny dorham i havent found yet.  abc paramount!  its not Tina Brooks True Blue on Blue Note!  Abc Paramount!  I should of got it by now i would of thought,,,,,

 

 

Impulse A/AS 9131 (a product of ABC Records, Inc)

[Teasing the Korean]

1 hour ago, chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez said:

ABC jazz lps are impossible to find.  Did they have low low distribution or pressing numbers?  

ABC Paramount LPs in general from the earlier years of the label are hard to find.  The stereo albums tend to be very shrill.  the mono albums sound better, but even those can be shrill.  

I found two Candido albums on ABC from that period.  One is much better than the other one.  I think I kept the good one and unloaded the dog.  EDIT:  The one I kept is Latin Fire. 

I also have some Kenyon Hopkins LPs on ABC Paramount.  I would peg the Chewster as one who would dig Kenyon Hopkins.  Am I correct?  

Edited November 18, 2021 by Teasing the Korean

[jazzcorner]

1 hour ago, chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez said:

weird.  ill have to preview it

ABC jazz lps are impossible to find.  Did they have low low distribution or pressing numbers?  

I have a WLP Quincy Jones and its a full west coast jazz orchestra including Art Pepper.  then i have a stock sampler which incls. a mundell lowe track and thats it besides all the Candido lps. the kenny dorham i havent found yet.  abc paramount!  its not Tina Brooks True Blue on Blue Note!  Abc Paramount!  I should of got it by now i would of thought,,,,,

 

 

Have some reissues from Japan and  some from Fresh Sound + US editions

Arnold,Buddy    Wailing Buddy Arnold    1956    ABC-Paramount(FS)    114
Burke,Vinnie    Vinnie Burke Allstars    1956    ABC Paramount(FS)    139
Green,Urbie    All About Urbie Green And His Bigband    1956    ABC Paramount    137
Holman,Bill    Free and Easy feat. Jackie & Roy    1957    ABC Paramount (jap)    207
Mulligan/Brookmeyer    Phil Sunkels Jazz Concerto Grosso""    1957    ABC Paramount(jap)    225
Pettiford,Oscar    O.P.`s Jazzmen    1957    ABC Paramount(jap)    8555
Raney,Jimmy    ... feat Bob Brookemeyer    1956    ABC Paramount    129
Raney,Jimmy    ... in three attitudes         ABC-Paramount    167
Sunkel,Phil    Phil Sunkel`s Jazz Band    1956    ABC Paramount(FS)    136
Williams,Patrick    The one and only (Soundtrack of Paramount film)    1978    ABC Records    1059

 

Have also the 4 Altos on early RCA and later on Impulse

Edited November 18, 2021 by jazzcorner

[Bluesnik]

On 11/13/2021 at 6:15 PM, Late said:

Very good photo of Zoot in full action!