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
I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
Zoot Sims Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was the sweetest melody
I know I lost heaven 'cause you were the song
Since you and I have drifted apart
Life doesn't mean a thing to me
Please come back, sweet music, I know I was wrong
You know that we were meant to be more than just friends, just friends
I let a song go out of my heart
Believe me, darlin', when I say
I won't know sweet music until you return some day
I let a song go out of my heart
Believe me, darlin', when I say
I won't know sweet music until you return some day
The lyrics of Zoot Sims's song "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart" express regret and mourn the loss of a past love. The metaphorical song that has gone out of the singer's heart represents a powerful connection to the lover who has now been lost. The reference to "sweetest melody" acknowledges the depth and beauty of the love that has been lost, and suggests that it was likely a defining element in the singer's life.
The second verse of the song highlights the power of the lost relationship by presenting the singer as though they have lost everything without it. Previously meaningful things like life itself and music have lost all significance towards the singer since the lover has been lost. Finally, the singer wonders if it is too late to make amends, indicating that perhaps they have played a role in the relationship falling apart, but they still long for reconciliation.
Overall, the song is a beautifully poignant lament for a love that has been lost, and it showcases the emotional depths and vulnerabilities that music can bring out in any artist.
Line by Line Meaning
I let a song go out of my heart
I lost something very precious to me - a beautiful melody that came straight from my heart
It was the sweetest melody
It was the most beautiful and pleasant sound that I could ever produce
I know I lost heaven 'cause you were the song
I believe that I lost everything, including my happiness and a piece of heaven because the melody that I've lost was about you
Since you and I have drifted apart
Since we have gone our separate ways and our connection faded
Life doesn't mean a thing to me
My life has lost its value and meaning without you in it
Please come back, sweet music, I know I was wrong
I beg you to return to my life and bring back the beautiful melody that I've lost. I realize that my mistakes led to us being apart, but I am willing to make things right.
Am I too late to make amends?
I am questioning if it is too late for me to fix the mistakes that I have made, and if there's even a chance for us to sort things out.
You know that we were meant to be more than just friends, just friends
I know that we had something special, an unbreakable bond that was beyond friendship, and it was a mistake to let it go.
Believe me, darlin', when I say
Trust and have faith in me when I tell you
I won't know sweet music until you return some day
My life will never be fulfilling until you return back to me, and the beautiful melody that we shared play once again.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Duke Ellington, Henry Nemo, John Redmond, Irving Mills
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Antonio Betancourt
Todos los dias...son Buenos si quieres...
rujazz
Antonio Betancourt
Gracias Antonio:) Buenas Noches!