Zoot Sims

Zoot Sims
52nd Street Jazz Fair, New York, July 6, 1976
Background information
Birth name	John Haley Sims
Born	(1925-10-29)October 29, 1925 Inglewood, California, United States
Died	March 23, 1985(1985-03-23) (aged 59) New York City
Genres	Jazz, big band, cool jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Saxophone
Years active	1944–85
Labels	Pablo, Verve, Epic, Mercury
Associated acts	Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Al Cohn, Gerry Mulligan

John Haley "Zoot" Sims (October 29, 1925 – March 23, 1985) was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor but also alto and later soprano. He first gained attention in the "Four Brothers" sax section of Woody Herman's big band, after which went on to a long solo career, often in partnership with fellow saxmen Gerry Mulligan and Al Cohn or the trombonist Bob Brookmeyer.

Sims was born in Inglewood, California, the son of vaudeville performers Kate Haley and John Sims. His father was a vaudeville hoofer, and Sims prided himself on remembering many of the steps his father taught him. Growing up in a performing family, he learned to play drums and clarinet at an early age. His brother was the trombonist Ray Sims.

Following in the footsteps of Lester Young, Sims developed into an innovative tenor saxophonist. Throughout his career, he played with big bands, starting with those of Kenny Baker and Bobby Sherwood after dropping out of high school after one year. He played with Benny Goodman's band in 1943 and replaced his idol Ben Webster in Sid Catlett's Quartet in 1944.

Sims served as a corporal in the United States Army Air Force from 1944 to 1946, then returned to music in the bands of Artie Shaw, Stan Kenton, and Buddy Rich. He was one of Woody Herman's "Four Brothers". He frequently led his own combos and toured with his friend Gerry Mulligan's sextet, and later with Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band. Sims rejoined Goodman in 1962 for a tour of the Soviet Union.