Biography
Kenny Dorham was one of the most underrated trumpeters in jazz history, a talented bop-oriented player and an excellent composer who played in some very significant bands and penned the timeless jazz standard “Blue Bossa.” In 1945, he was in the orchestras of Dizzy Gillespie and Billy Eckstine, he recorded with the Be Bop Boys in 1946, and spent short periods with Lionel Hampton and Mercer Ellington. During 1948-1949, Dorham was the trumpeter in the Charlie Parker Quintet. After some freelancing in New York in 1954, he became a member of the first version of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and for a short time led a group called the Jazz Prophets. After Clifford Brown’s death, Dorham became his replacement in the Max Roach Quintet (1956-1958) and then he led several groups of his own. He first recorded for Blue Note in 1955 with his excellent Afro-Cuban session, and followed with several fine dates for Riverside, New Jazz, and Time, but it is his Blue Note sessions of 1961-1964 that are among his finest, including Whistle Stop, Una Mas, and Trompeta Toccata. Dorham was an early booster of saxophonist Joe Henderson (who played with his group in 1963-1964), and the two became frequent collaborators on Henderson’s Blue Note albums Page One, Our Thing, and In ‘N Out. In 1964, Dorham proved his versatility with his standout performance on Andrew Hill’s avant-garde masterpiece Point of Departure.
Releases
Trompeta Toccata - Kenny Dorham
Una Mas - Kenny Dorham
Whistle Stop - Kenny Dorham
‘Round About Midnight At The Cafe Bohemia - Kenny Dorham
Afro-Cuban - Kenny Dorham
SPOTLIGHT
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Joe Henderson & Kenny Dorham: A Profound Pairing
Kenny Dorham was a multi-gifted man, and Page One—the 1963 debut by Joe Henderson—displays several of his gifts. His eloquence on the trumpet, which has finally received some of the respect it deserved in recent years, can be heard on each of the six tracks. Dorham was also a brilliant composer as well as one of the very best at orchestrating melodies for a small group, and helped write the... read more
News
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TONE POET AUDIOPHILE VINYL REISSUE SERIES 2024 LINE-UP
Blue Note Records has announced the 2024 line-up for the Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series. The acclaimed series is produced by the “Tone Poet” Joe Harley and features definitive all-analog, 180g audiophile vinyl reissues that are mastered from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray of Cohearent Audio.... read more
APPLE MUSIC LAUNCHES NEW FEATURE “BLUE NOTE: THE 1500 SERIES”
On January 6, 1939, a German Jewish immigrant and passionate Jazz fan named Alfred Lion produced his first recording session in New York City with two Boogie Woogie pianists—Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis—founding what would become the most-respected and longest-running Jazz label in the world. Blue Note... read more
PRESENTING THE BLUE NOTE 80 VINYL REISSUE SERIES
In honor of Blue Note Records’ 80th Anniversary, the legendary Jazz label is launching the Blue Note 80 Vinyl Reissue Series. Distinct from the Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series, this 2nd series curated by Don Was and Cem Kurosman features mid-priced 180g vinyl releases in standard packaging with albums... read more
BLUE NOTE LAUNCHES NEW SERIES OF FRAMED WALL ART FEATURING THE LABEL’S CLASSIC IMAGERY
In honor of Blue Note Records’ 80th Anniversary in 2019, the legendary Jazz label has launched a new series of limited-edition wall art that celebrates the iconic imagery of Blue Note’s classic era. For the first time ever, Blue Note is offering archival-quality, framed canvas prints in dynamic scale... read more
