Kenny Dorham

Trumpet · born 30 August 1924 – died 5 December 1972

▸ Click for Richard Cook Bio

Dorham was perhaps the lost master of bebop trumpet, and his career was in the end a disappointing and frustrating one. Born in Fairfield, Texas, he began on trumpet in his teens and after army service joined the Russell Jacquet band in 1943. He went to New York and joined the big bands of Billy Eckstine and Dizzy Gillespie, also leading some small groups on record. He joined Charlie Parker as Miles Davis's replacement at the end of 1948 and stayed 18 months, but had a low profile after that until he joined the first edition of the Blakey–Silver Jazz Messengers: he is on their Café Bohemia sessions (1955), and when he left to form his own Jazz Prophets he made more memorable live dates at the same venue (1956). He then joined Max Roach, but after he left in 1958 his career never quite got back on track. Although he led a quintet with Joe Henderson from 1962, and cut some more fine dates for Blue Note, there were other trumpeters gaining more plaudits and Kenny's own playing began to grow erratic. Aspirations to be a singer, which he had explored as far back as his time with Gillespie, also came to little. He kept heavy company throughout his career on record and his best playing is superbly finished: as crisp and exact as Gillespie on a quick tempo, bluesier than Miles Davis, his most assured improvising is remarkable, even in an era of great trumpeters. It was his misfortune to be around when the likes of Gillespie, Davis and Clifford Brown – and later Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan – were taking more of the jazz audience's attention. He died of kidney failure. His real Christian name was McKinley, which became Kinney and was somehow corrupted into Kenny.

Biography from Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia (2005).

If you'd like more information, check out The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2002) or The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz (2007), both of which are still in print.

As leader

  • Kenny Dorham – And the Jazz Prophets, Volume OneKenny Dorham – And the Jazz Prophets, Volume One
  • Kenny Dorham – ‘Round About Midnight At The Café BohemiaKenny Dorham – ‘Round About Midnight At The Café Bohemia
  • Kenny Dorham – Afro-CubanKenny Dorham – Afro-Cuban
  • Kenny Dorham – Jazz ContrastsKenny Dorham – Jazz Contrasts

Plays on

  • The Jazz Messengers – At the Café Bohemia, Volume OneThe Jazz Messengers – At the Café Bohemia, Volume One
  • The Jazz Messengers – At the Café Bohemia, Volume TwoThe Jazz Messengers – At the Café Bohemia, Volume Two
  • Thelonious Monk – Genius of Modern Music, Volume TwoThelonious Monk – Genius of Modern Music, Volume Two
  • Horace Silver – and The Jazz MessengersHorace Silver – and The Jazz Messengers
  • J.J. Johnson / Kai Winding / Bennie Green – Trombone By ThreeJ.J. Johnson / Kai Winding / Bennie Green – Trombone By Three
  • Tadd Dameron – FontainebleauTadd Dameron – Fontainebleau
  • Phil Woods Septet – Pairing OffPhil Woods Septet – Pairing Off
  • Lou Donaldson – Quartet Quintet SextetLou Donaldson – Quartet Quintet Sextet
  • Kenny Burrell – Kenny BurrellKenny Burrell – Kenny Burrell
  • Max Roach – Plus FourMax Roach – Plus Four
  • Max Roach – Jazz in 3/4 TimeMax Roach – Jazz in 3/4 Time
  • Sonny Rollins – Moving OutSonny Rollins – Moving Out
  • Hank Mobley Quintet – Mobley’s 2nd MessageHank Mobley Quintet – Mobley’s 2nd Message
  • Sonny Rollins – Rollins Plays for BirdSonny Rollins – Rollins Plays for Bird
  • Matthew Gee – Jazz by GeeMatthew Gee – Jazz by Gee
  • Ernie Henry – Presenting Ernie HenryErnie Henry – Presenting Ernie Henry
  • Cecil Payne – Cecil PayneCecil Payne – Cecil Payne
  • Benny Golson – The Modern TouchBenny Golson – The Modern Touch

Mentioned in text

  • Miles Davis – The Musings of MilesMiles Davis – The Musings of Miles
  • Jay Jay Johnson – The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Volume OneJay Jay Johnson – The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Volume One
  • Jay Jay Johnson – The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Volume TwoJay Jay Johnson – The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Volume Two
  • Thelonious Monk – Genius of Modern Music, Volume OneThelonious Monk – Genius of Modern Music, Volume One
  • Clifford Brown – Memorial AlbumClifford Brown – Memorial Album
  • Elmo Hope – Hope Meets FosterElmo Hope – Hope Meets Foster
  • Jackie McLean Quintet – Lights Out!Jackie McLean Quintet – Lights Out!
  • Elmo Hope Sextet – Informal JazzElmo Hope Sextet – Informal Jazz
  • Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers – Hard DriveArt Blakey’s Jazz Messengers – Hard Drive
  • J.R. Monterose – J.R. MonteroseJ.R. Monterose – J.R. Monterose
  • Lee Morgan – Indeed!Lee Morgan – Indeed!
  • Hank Mobley Quintet – Hank Mobley QuintetHank Mobley Quintet – Hank Mobley Quintet
  • Art Blakey – Orgy in Rhythm, Volume OneArt Blakey – Orgy in Rhythm, Volume One
  • Art Blakey – Orgy In Rhythm, Volume TwoArt Blakey – Orgy In Rhythm, Volume Two
  • Lee Morgan – Lee Morgan, Volume ThreeLee Morgan – Lee Morgan, Volume Three
  • Sonny Rollins – Sonny Rollins, Volume TwoSonny Rollins – Sonny Rollins, Volume Two
  • Curtis Fuller – The OpenerCurtis Fuller – The Opener
  • The Jazz Messengers – Hard BopThe Jazz Messengers – Hard Bop
  • Horace Silver – Silver’s BlueHorace Silver – Silver’s Blue
  • Art Farmer / Donald Byrd – Two TrumpetsArt Farmer / Donald Byrd – Two Trumpets
  • Gil Mellé – Gil’s GuestsGil Mellé – Gil’s Guests
  • Prestige All-Stars – All Night LongPrestige All-Stars – All Night Long
  • Teddy Charles – EvolutionTeddy Charles – Evolution
  • Phil Woods / Donald Byrd – The Young BloodsPhil Woods / Donald Byrd – The Young Bloods
  • Mal Waldron Quintet – Mal-1Mal Waldron Quintet – Mal-1
  • Randy Weston – Jazz a la BohemiaRandy Weston – Jazz a la Bohemia
  • Hank Mobley Quintet – Introducing Lee MorganHank Mobley Quintet – Introducing Lee Morgan
  • Hank Mobley Sextet – HankHank Mobley Sextet – Hank
  • Lee Morgan – The CookerLee Morgan – The Cooker
  • Louis Smith – Here Comes Louis SmithLouis Smith – Here Comes Louis Smith
  • Lee Morgan – CandyLee Morgan – Candy
  • Lou Donaldson – Lou Takes OffLou Donaldson – Lou Takes Off
  • George Wallington Quintet – The PrestidigitatorGeorge Wallington Quintet – The Prestidigitator
  • Phil Woods – Warm WoodsPhil Woods – Warm Woods
  • Yusef Lateef Quintet – The Sounds of YusefYusef Lateef Quintet – The Sounds of Yusef
  • Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis – CookbookEddie “Lockjaw” Davis – Cookbook
  • Shirley Scott – Great Scott!Shirley Scott – Great Scott!
  • Max Roach – Deeds, Not WordsMax Roach – Deeds, Not Words
  • Sonny Rollins – Newk’s TimeSonny Rollins – Newk’s Time
  • Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – At the Jazz Corner of the World, Vol. 1Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – At the Jazz Corner of the World, Vol. 1
  • Cecil Taylor Quartet – Looking Ahead!Cecil Taylor Quartet – Looking Ahead!
  • Art Blakey – The Big BeatArt Blakey – The Big Beat
  • Freddie Hubbard – Open SesameFreddie Hubbard – Open Sesame
  • Booker Little – Booker LittleBooker Little – Booker Little
  • Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – At the Jazz Corner of the World, Vol. 2Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – At the Jazz Corner of the World, Vol. 2
  • Benny Carter and His Orchestra – Further DefinitionsBenny Carter and His Orchestra – Further Definitions
  • Art Blakey Jazz Messengers – CaravanArt Blakey Jazz Messengers – Caravan
  • Joe Henderson – The KickerJoe Henderson – The Kicker
  • Miles Davis – And the Modern Jazz GiantsMiles Davis – And the Modern Jazz Giants
  • Woody Shaw – The MoontraneWoody Shaw – The Moontrane
  • Jimmy Heath – Picture of HeathJimmy Heath – Picture of Heath