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SwingJournal #16
If I’m Lucky Zoot Sims Meets Jimmy Rowles
Artist : Zoot Sims and Jimmy Rowles
Original Recorded Date : Oct 27th and 28th, 1977
Original Label : Pablo Records
Recorded Location : RCA Studios, New York
Producer : Norman Granz
Engineer : Val Valentine
(I Wonder) Where Our Love Has Gone
Pianist and co-leader of this album Jimmy Rowles starts playing the melody by himself. The composition is AABA form and after Rowles finishes playing the first A melody, bassist George Mraz and drummer Mousey Alexander come in. After this trio finishes playing second A melody, saxophonist and leader of this album, Zoot Sims plays the section B. The last A section melody is played by Rowles trio again.
The first solo after melody is Sims. He plays blues solo influenced by Ben Webster, however his tone is more close to Stan Getz. The second chorus is by bassist Mraz. Mraz has a fantastic technique on his bass and warm amplified bass sound. He plays half of the chorus and Zims takes over head out melody from section B. But very last A section Sims plays the melody.
Legs :
Rowles creates intro on F pedal chords with accent on "three and" hits. After 8 bars intro, Sims starts playing the melody with fantastic tone with layback feeing. "Legs" is comprised of four eight-bar phrases in an ABAC form. After the head-in melody, Sims plays solo. The way Rowles fills in single notes as a accompanist toward Sims solo is also remarkable. Toward end of Sims solo, Rowles trio holds F pedal chords to have a transaction easily from Sims to Rowles. The solo ideas of Rowles are very creative. I can't identify Rowles' influence by listening to his solos and comping. But there is a pianist whose style is pretty similar, his name is George Gaffney who is a Sarah Vaughan's accompanist. Mraz plays next solo. End of both Rowles and Mraz solos, they extend F pedal chords to play intro motives. Sims plays one more chorus solo before he closes out the melody. Rowles' trill notes responses can be heard against Sims melody and also Rowles closes the whole composition by playing the intro motives.
If I'm Lucky :
This composition starts with Mraz's solo melody for 8 bars. As soon as rest of rhythm section accompanies Mraz, Sims takes over the melody. The composition is ABAC form. Each section has 8 bars except C section has only 4 bars. Therefore there are 28 bars on one chorus. It is very lay-back a walking ballade. Alexander's brushes support Jummy Rowles accompaniment behind Sims. Very unique Rowles' solo can be heard on this track. When Sims returns after the piano solo, he keeps playing the solo. But he switches to the melody on section B.
Shadow Waltz :
Even though the title was named as a waltz, they play 4/4 bossa. Mousey Alexander's rim shots create the atmosphere for Sims to perform with laid back feeling. The way Sims plays melody and his tones reminds me of Stan Getz's "Desafinado". The composition is ABAC form and all sections are written in 8 bars except the only C section has 12 bars. After the melody, Sims' plays as if his solo is an extended melody. Again Rowles comping is very unique behind Sims. It is not straight Latin feel, he sometimes mixes with reggae feel. The second solo is by Rowles and he starts with very simple motif and carries on to the another simple motif under the different harmonies. Then after listening to his first chorus, I notice that he is doing call and response between his simple motifes. Rowles' motif can be developed under classical opera such as Bizet's Carmen "Habanera". When Mraz plays solo, everyone cools down and Alexander keeps the tight clave pattern by hitting rim shot. Suddenly Rowles appears with lower register and accompany with beautiful block chords.
You're My Everything
Sims plays this compositions in the key of Eb. Many people play this compositions in different keys. Miles Davis plays in Bb, Freddie Hubbard plays in C, Wynton Marsalis plays in B, and Nat King Cole sings in G. After I researched many versions of this tune, Sims is the only one plays verse.
Audio File
Download Sheet Music for Zoot Sims’ “You’re My Everything”
Solo Guitar Arrangement/Performance by Hideaki Tokunaga
It's All Right With Me
Sims plays the melody by himself for 8 bars, then Rowles hits three melody notes strongly to enter himself as an accompanist. Mraz joins with walking bass lines and finally at 16th bar Alexander with legado symbols. After the melody, Sims takes care of the 1st solo. Sonny Rollins' version of "It's All Right With Me" can be found from Rollins' album "Work Time". You will encounter Rollins' free approach to his tight rhythm section including Max Roach. On Sims' version, you can also enjoy Sim's freedom but I want you to focus on Rowles' accompaniment. Rowles is quite wild behind Sims' solo. Rowles is the second soloist. He plays simple quarter notes to begin with. He rarely uses the bebop vocabularies which have been around from Bud Powell to Wynton Kelly and beyond. He often uses cluster like Thelonious Monk and shift the syncopated notes all over. Rowles exaggerates the dynamics not only during his own solo but also when he accompanies soloists.
Gypsy Sweetheart
This composition was written by a singer Vaughn Monroe who was a famous TV show host in 1950's. Sims' deep tone and layback feeling fits perfectly to this composition. Alexander's brush work supports Mraz in-two feeling. Rowles plays a fantastic 16 bars solo while he creates a spectacular space and Marz plays 8bars solo on the bridge. Sims returns for last A section to close this composition. Some people called this composition as "My Gypsy Sweetheart" or "Gypsy Love Song". Duke Ellington's version has the same intro which Sim's ensemble adapted for this recording.
I Hear a Rhapsody
Rowles starts with a cadenza piano intro using the motif from Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue". Therefore it is easy for Sims to start melody. Similar to Rowles' piano performance, Sims' saxophone phrases is very unique comparing to many artists in this era. I am pretty sure that he was influenced strongly by his longtime partner Al Cohn and also received quite big essence from Al. Stan Getz was another good example. Especially on this track, Sims play like Getz. Rowles and Mraz solos follow after Sims', and Alexander's one chorus drums solo can be heard. After Alexander's solo, Sims doesn't play the melody and keeps playing his solos, but on the bridge he plays the altered melody lines with staccard. This makes whole rhythm section play the latin on the bridge. They return to swing to close this composition and whole album.
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