[Dixielandjazz] Alcohol, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn-- Boym, Gilmore and Vickers write

[Norman Vickers]

To: DLML and Musicians and Jazzfans lists

From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

 

Our listmate Marek Boym of Israel sent a note, responding to the Bill Crow
column in Allegro, monthly publication of AFJ local 802 NYC. Following is
conversation generated by Crow's column, especially related to
overconsumption of alcohol.

Here is conversation  by Boym, Vickers and longtime bassist with Phil Woods,
Steve Gilmore.

 

It's lengthy and may be redundant or uninteresting to many.  Reading is
optional! (smile)  Thanks.

 

Boym wrote:

 

Bill Crow has mentioned both Zoot Sims and Bob Brookmeyer's intake of
alcohol.  My impression was that Zoot was no slouch, either.  I still
believe it was booze that killed him!

I saw Zoot in Nice in 1977, after he repented and started playing jazz again
(if this puzzles you - I don't consider "cool" jazz; jazz is "hot," so that
"cool jazz" is a contradiction in terms).  He was OK at the beginning of
proceedings - about 5PM, but, as the evening

progressed, his face gradually changed colour from white to red,   He

held either a beer or a glass of wine in his hand all the time he was not
playing, and after some two hours his hands were shaking as if he suffered
of Parkinson's disease; they steadied only when he took his horn in both
hands.  His playing was great, though, hot and swinging.

And a comment on Coltrane: if he were practicing all the time, how come his
"playing" never sounded like music? If  were exposed to 25 seconds of his
soloing, I'd confess of the assassination of Kennedy, Lincoln and Yitzhak
Rabin just to stop that terrible noise!

With kind regards,

Marek

____________________________________________________________________________

Norman responded to Marek:

 

Thanks, Marek--Yes, I believe that Zoot's drinking was legendary.  In Bill
Crow's internet post "To Russia Without Love" which you likely have read
many times, there's a segment in there when Crow talked about Zoot and Phil
Woods getting drunk on that trip and the mischief which ensued.

 

There's the story about Zoot being admitted to the hospital, Mt. Sinai ( I
think) in NYC with alcoholic pancreatitis.

There was a cardiac surgeon whom I met casually once but whose name escapes
me now.  He was an amateur drummer  who was acted as  the patron saint of
the NYC musicians.  Although Zoot was not on his service, he would drop by
to see him and follow his progress.  In fact, Zoot had been comatose for a
couple of days.  While the doc was there at Zoot's bedside, Zoot woke up,
looked at the doc and said, " Doc you look awful!"

 

I never got to see/hear Zoot in person.  Al Cohn  though I did see at Gibson
parties.

 

I'm going to share this will bassist Steve Gilmore.  .

___________________________________________________________________

Norman continues: 

So, I sent a note to  bassist Steve Gilmore, longtime member of saxophonist
Phil Woods' band, asking him if he might clarify  add something to this
discussion.  Steve now lives in nearby Panama City, FL, so we in Pensacola
have opportunity to hear him frequently.

Steve wrote-and gave permission to post-the following:

 

Steve Gilmore wrote:

yes Norman legendary would be one way to put Al and Zoot's drinking habits -
Oh the stories I could tell. I once was talking to Al about how well Zoot
could perform when he was drinking and Al replied well you should hear him
when he is sober!!  Of course he was rarely sober.

Al tells the story when years ago Zoot would get on these " health trips ".
He actually had a garden in the back yard. One morning Al was at Zoot's
house and Zoot was making a " health shake ". He put in veggies , fruits ,
protein mix , nuts etc, and then finally at the end added a glass of scotch
and said see - this stuff really makes me feel good. Yeah.

              I had the privilege of playing in the band for the last
performances of both Al and Zoot. Al's last was a gig at the Deerhead Inn in
Delaware Water Gap Pa. - a benefit for the local fire Dept.

Zoot's last was a week at the " Blue Note " in N.Y.C.

              In 1975 Zoot did a tour with the Phil Woods Quartet. I
remember Zoot was so drunk one night he was actually carrying on a
conversation with a statue of " Colonel Sanders " on the Ginza in downtown
Tokyo.

              Al would Call me up many times in the A.M. and want to come
over and jam - just duo bass and tenor. We would play all standard tunes but
always in a different and difficult Key signature

- Just for the practice. al was my neighbor us both living in the Delaware
Water Gap area 70 miles from N.Y.C. - a regular commute for most of us.

               Sometimes when I was playing with Zoot he would come up
behind me while I was playing and tap the bass and say " get that woman out
of there ". I never knew what he was talking about.

                   Plenty more stories - just can't think of any right now.

                                                       Steve Gilmore

 

 
--end--