Al and Zoot

Personnel: Al Cohn, Zoot Sims (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Mose Allison (piano); Teddy Kotick (bass); Nick Stabulus (drums).
Recorded in New York, New York on March 27, 1957. Includes liner notes by Burt Korall.
Digitally remastered using 20-bit technology by Shigeo Miyamoto.
Tenors Al Cohn and Zoot Sims led a regular two-tenor quintet for a few years in the late '50s and then had an occasional musical partnership during the next couple of decades. Accompanied by pianist Mose Allison (who was then unknown), bassist Teddy Kotick and drummer Nick Stabulas, the two very complementary tenors play five of Cohn's swinging originals (including "Halley's Comet," named after John Haley "Zoot" Sims!) plus five standards. The mid- to late '50s were a period of intense recording activity and this album is one of the underrated gems that was somewhat overlooked at the time. [Originally released in 1957, Al and Zoot was reissued on CD in 1997; "Gone with the Wind" was originally on a sampler and has been added to the CD reissue.] ~ Scott Yanow