Kenny Dorham

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Kenny Dorham
Kenny Dorham in a DownBeat advertisement
Kenny Dorham in a DownBeat advertisement
Background information
Birth nameMcKinley Howard Dorham
Born(1924-08-30)August 30, 1924
Fairfield, Texas, U.S.
DiedDecember 5, 1972(1972-12-05) (aged 48)
New York City, U.S.
GenresJazz, bebop, mainstream jazz, hard bop
Occupation(s)Musician, bandleader, composer
Instrument(s)Trumpet, vocals

McKinley Howard "Kenny" Dorham (August 30, 1924 – December 5, 1972)[1] was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and occasional singer. Dorham's talent is frequently lauded by critics and other musicians, but he never received the kind of attention or public recognition from the jazz establishment that many of his peers did. For this reason, writer Gary Giddins said that Dorham's name has become "virtually synonymous with 'underrated'."[2]

Dorham also composed the jazz standard "Blue Bossa", which was first recorded by his associate Joe Henderson.

Biography[edit]

Dorham was one of the most active bebop trumpeters. Early in his career, he played in the big bands of Lionel Hampton, Billy Eckstine, Dizzy Gillespie, and Mercer Ellington, and in Charlie Parker's quintet.[1] He joined Parker's band in December 1948.[3] He was a charter member of the original cooperative the Jazz Messengers.[1] He also recorded as a sideman with Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins, and he replaced Clifford Brown in the Max Roach Quintet after Brown's death in 1956.[1] In addition to sideman work, Dorham led his own groups, including the Jazz Prophets[1] (formed shortly after Art Blakey took over the Jazz Messengers name). The Jazz Prophets, featuring a young Bobby Timmons on piano, bassist Sam Jones, and tenorman J. R. Monterose, with guest Kenny Burrell on guitar, recorded a live album, 'Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, in 1956 for Blue Note.

Dorham in an advertisement

In 1963, Dorham added the 26-year-old tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson to his group,[1] which later recorded the album Una Mas. The friendship between the two musicians led to a number of other albums, such as Henderson's Page One, Our Thing, and In 'n Out. Dorham recorded frequently throughout the 1960s for Blue Note and Prestige Records, as leader and as sideman for Henderson, Jackie McLean, Cedar Walton, Andrew Hill, Milt Jackson, and others.[1]

Dorham at Birdland in 1954

Dorham's later quartet consisted of some well-known jazz musicians: Tommy Flanagan (piano), Paul Chambers (double bass), and Art Taylor (drums). Their recording debut was Quiet Kenny for Prestige's New Jazz label, an album which featured mostly ballads. An earlier quartet featuring Dorham as co-leader with alto saxophone player Ernie Henry had released an album together under the name "Kenny Dorham/Ernie Henry Quartet." They produced the album 2 Horns / 2 Rhythm for Riverside Records in 1957, with double bassist Eddie Mathias and drummer G.T. Hogan. In 1990, the album was re-released on CD under the name "Kenny Dorham Quartet featuring Ernie Henry."[4][5]

Death[edit]

During his final years, Dorham suffered from kidney disease, from which he died on December 5, 1972, aged 48.[6]

Discography[edit]

As leader[edit]

As sideman[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 124/5. ISBN 0-85112-580-8.
  2. ^ Freeman, Phil (January 15, 2013). "Spotlight: Doing the Philly Twist: Kenny Dorham's Whistle Stop". bluenote.com. Blue Note Records.
  3. ^ Owens, Thomas (1996). Bebop. Oxford University Press. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-19-510651-0.
  4. ^ Yanow, Scott (2000). Bebop. Miller Freeman Books. pp. 79–81. ISBN 0-87930-608-4.
  5. ^ Listing of the 2 Horns/2 Rhythm album on Discogs.com, (accessed December 17, 2014).
  6. ^ "Kenny Dorham". Bluenote.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
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