Zoot Sims
Tenor Sax Solo on
Bob's Boys

About

Zoot Sims's tenor saxophone solo is the fourth of six solos on Hank Mobley's "Bob's Boys" from the 1956 Tenor Conclave album, the last of the four tenors to solo. He takes four choruses of the 12-bar blues form at 196 BPM in F, rounding out the four-way tenor comparison with his trademark relaxed swing and melodic grace. Sims's ability to make complex ideas sound effortless is on full display in this blues setting, and his solo brings the saxophone portion of the track to a close before Red Garland and Paul Chambers take their turns.

Zoot Sims was 30 to 31 years old at the time.