Kenny Dorham

Biography

Dorham was one of the most active bebop trumpeters. He played in the big bands of Lionel Hampton, Billy Eckstine, Dizzy Gillespie, and Mercer Ellington and the quintet of Charlie Parker. He was a charter member of the original cooperative Jazz Messengers. 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. In addition to sideman work, Dorham led his own groups, including the Jazz Prophets (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.

In 1963 Dorham added the 26-year-old tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson to his group, which later recorded Una Mas (the group also featured a young Tony Williams). 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.

Dorham's quintet originally 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 the 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."

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

As leader

As sideman

With Toshiko Akiyoshi

With Dave Bailey

With Andy Bey

With Birdland Stars

With Art Blakey

With Rocky Boyd

With Tadd Dameron

With Lou Donaldson

With Matthew Gee

With Herb Geller

With Benny Golson

With Barry Harris

With Joe Henderson

With Ernie Henry

With Andrew Hill

With Milt Jackson

With Clifford Jordan

With Harold Land

With Abbey Lincoln

With Jackie McLean

With John Mehegan

With Gil Mellé

With Helen Merrill

With Hank Mobley

With Thelonious Monk

With Oliver Nelson

With Cecil Payne

With Oscar Pettiford

With Max Roach

With Sonny Rollins

With A. K. Salim

With Horace Silver

With Cecil Taylor

With Cedar Walton

With Randy Weston

With Barney Wilen

With Phil Woods

There are three Kenny Dorham tribute CDs. Music of Kenny Dorham by Don Sickler (1994). A Tribute to Kenny Dorham by the Charles Davis All Stars (2010). Jay Sanders Plays the Music of Kenny Dorham by Jay Sanders (2011).