He was born in Inglewood, California. Sims' family was involved in vaudeville, and, for his part, John learned to play both drums and clarinet at an early age. Zoot's father was a vaudeville hoofer, and Zoot prided himself on remembering many of the steps his father taught him.
Following in the footsteps of Lester Young, Sims developed into an innovative tenor saxophonist. Throughout his career, he played with renowned bands, including Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and Buddy Rich. He was known among his peers as one of the strongest swingers in the field. Sims frequently led his own combos and sometimes toured with his friend Gerry Mulligan with Gerry's sextet, and later with his Concert Jazz Band. Zoot had a long, successful partnership as co-leader of a quintet with Al Cohn, which recorded under "Al and Zoot". That group was a favorite at the New York club "The Half Note." Late in his career, Sims added the soprano saxophone to his performances. Sims' nickname — Zoot — was acquired early in his career while he was on the Kenny Baker band in California. The name was later appropriated for a sax-playing Muppet.
Zoot Sims died in New York on March 23, 1985.
(2) 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. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi
A Time For Love
Zoot Sims Lyrics
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For hummingbirds and butterflies
For tender words that harmonize with love
A time for climbing hills
For leaning out of windowsills
Admiring daffodils above
A time for rainbow coloured weather
A time of make believe that we've been dreaming of
As time goes drifting by
The willow bends and so do I
But all my friends whatever skies above
I know a time for spring
A time for fall
But best of all
A time for love
A time for holding hands together
A time for rainbow coloured weather
A time of make believe that we've been dreaming of
As time goes drifting by
The willow bends and so do I
But all my friends whatever skies above
I know a time for spring
A time for fall
But best of all
A time for love
The lyrics of the song 'A Time For Love' by Zoot Sims convey a sense of tender and romantic nostalgia. The song reflects upon the various seasons and the elements associated with them that symbolize love and the emotional connection between two people. The first verse speaks of summer skies, hummingbirds, and butterflies which are all delicate and beautiful beings that symbolize the lightness and happiness that love brings. The second verse speaks of climbing hills and admiring daffodils which signify the effort and joy that love requires, and the appreciation that comes with it. The chorus emphasizes the importance of holding hands together, experiencing the rainbow colors of the weather, and allowing oneself to imagine the dream of love that seems so far-fetched.
The lyrics also suggest the passage of time and its effect on love. The verse, 'As time goes drifting by, the willow bends and so do I' contains a metaphor for the adaptation and transformation that takes place in relationships over time. We are constantly changing and growing, and love itself is not static but evolves in different ways as we progress. However, through the changes, seasons, and time passing, there is always a time for love that persists and remains a point of comfort and happiness.
Overall, the song 'A Time For Love' by Zoot Sims celebrates the different facets of love and the various elements that make it an essential and beautiful part of our lives. It acknowledges the different seasons of love, the memories they create, and the enduring nature of love itself.
Line by Line Meaning
A time for summer skies
A moment to appreciate the beauty of clear blue skies in summer
For hummingbirds and butterflies
A time to witness and admire the elegance of small creatures such as hummingbirds and butterflies
For tender words that harmonize with love
A time to express fondness and compassion with gentle and loving words
A time for climbing hills
A moment to explore and conquer steep hills and mountains
For leaning out of windowsills
An opportunity to look beyond one's surroundings and dream of something better
Admiring daffodils above
A time to marvel at the beauty of nature, including delicate and colourful flowers
A time for holding hands together
A moment to share physical and emotional intimacy with a loved one
A time for rainbow coloured weather
A time to enjoy the vivid and cheerful colours produced by sunlight and rain
A time of make believe that we've been dreaming of
A time to imagine and pursue an ideal life, even if it may not be realistic
As time goes drifting by
As time passes and things change
The willow bends and so do I
I am adaptable to the changes that come with time
But all my friends whatever skies above
No matter what challenges come my way, I will face them alongside my friends
I know a time for spring
I am aware that there is a time for new beginnings
A time for fall
I acknowledge that there is a time for endings and change
But best of all
Despite everything else, there is one thing that is most important
A time for love
The ultimate and most valuable time of all is a time to love and be loved
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY MANDEL, PAUL FRANCIS WEBSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
T.J. Szabo
What a beautiful tune. I purchased this album when it came out in '84 and everyone who heard me play it loved the music and asked me about Zoot Sims. He made a lot of new fans with this gorgeous album. God Rest his Soul.
Debb Starr
As a sax player, I guess I can say that he's extremely smooth. This is such a pure melody and easy tempo. Lovely. Thanks for posting this Zink.
Thomas Hershberger
My public opinion is the Zoot Sims is one really cool tenor sax man. He must be outstanding and one of the best.
Carl Kulzer
Zoot Sims was a great tenor saxophone player, who produced the most beautiful sound from the instrument. He was a lyrical player, but could swing like crazy. If there is a heaven above I know Zoot is up their.
Warm Weather Friend
I've been listening to jazz for more than 50 years. This is the most compelling version of this 1960's standard I've ever heard. Zoot's improvisations really capture the emotion of the tune perfectly. I own it on CD. It's a really nice release. And, Johnny Mandel was a very talented composer and arranger. His swing arrangements on the Sinatra album Ring A Ding Ding are fantastic. Getting back to the tenor sax, one of the most underrated players is Nino Tempo. He's in the same league, in my view, as Zoot Sims and Stan Getz.
George Hardy
I had a jazz radio show in Tampa years ago and interviewed Zoot in 1984. A great artist and a true gentleman.
Norm Hall
What a sound this man come out of his horn. One of the best tenor and soprano saxmen ever.
Mario Nocita
What a beautiful lyrical rendition of the song, the best I have heard.
Peter Smith
A gorgeous rendering of a gorgeous Johnny Mandel tune. Like many comments on this site Zoot and Stan Getz were my two favourite Tenor Sax players. Such a great shame they are no longer with us but what a superb legacy they left jazz lovers. RIP Stan and Zoot.
tunefultony johnson
+Peter Smith --It doesn't getz any better than this... :)