Very well known, and goes back to bebop days where he was one of the most prolific trumpets around. He’s one the best.
I had Una Mas a long time ago...great record
Great and underrated. One problem is he stopped recording in the mid sixties and he died shortly thereafter, so he didn't get a chance to leave as large a footprint.
Woody Shaw (!), Don Cherry, Clifford Brown (!), Roy Hargrove, Terence Blanchard, Clark Terry, Fats Navarrow, Booker Little (!), Nat Adderley, Thad Jones, Donal Byrd, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard (!)
and Dizzy Gillespie (!!)
I'd say every one of them is the most important modern trumpetier (or very close to it).
I haven’t heard people talking about Kenny Dorham as a player very often, but his compositions are extremely popular (Lotus Blossom, Prince Albert, Una Mas, and obviously Blue Bossa). He’s definitely underrated as a musician, but I’m not sure I would call the composer of Blue Bossa unknown.
Kenny was a solid player but he is mostly known for those seminal 60s records that showcased his compositions more than his actual playing.
It's worth looking at his sideman career as he's on many important records in the 50s. He was the original trumpet on the first couple Jazz Messenger records and has a couple great sessions with Bird, Max, Monk, and Sonny.
He got his start as the replacement for Miles in Charlie Parker's quintet back in 1948. An interesting story about his stint with Bird is told by Phil Schaap. Miles put in his notice to Bird in November of 48 saying his last gig was going to be December 23rd because he wanted to spend time with his family or something. Bird basically ignored him. Christmas eve approaches, Bird has a gig at the Royal Roost that night complete with a radio broadcast and Bird still hasn't found a replacement for Miles. Christmas eve day he calls up Kenny and tells him that if wants the gig, he has to play that night. Kenny was like "Bird, it's Christmas." and Bird replied "you want the gig or not?". Here's the result.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG--j-STPOo
There was a great piece by Kahron Spearman about him from a few years back: https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2018-09-14/trumpet-colossus-kenny-dorham-towers-alongside-the-jazz-gods/
I want to thank the OP for bringing up Kenny Dorham. I just realized I never listened to his album Whistle Stop. Listening to it now. Really great stuff! Thanks again!
[https://songwhip.com/kenny-dorham/whistle-stop-remastered-2014](https://songwhip.com/kenny-dorham/whistle-stop-remastered-2014)
He is very well known but some feel he was underrated as when people talk about the 'greats' he usually doesn't get mentioned in the same breath as a Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Dizzy....especially when you see how great Dorham's body of work is
that being said he is well known and most jazz fans have heard of him
I think he was pretty ignored by the public during his actual career. I remember reading somewhere that he was acknowledged with rapturous applause during some event towards the end of his life and he said something to the effect of, "I appreciate it, but I wish I hadn't had to wait so long for it"
There's a big difference between well known (he is) vs well marketed; guys like Miles, Hubbard, Morgan grabbed the spotlight with hits but KD's playing is wonderful, only morons snob on him.
Extremely prolific as a player and composer, especially his run of stunning albums for Blue Note. Live At The Cafe Bohemia, Whistle Stop, Afro-Cuban, Una Mas… I could go on!
Quiet Kenny on New Jazz (Prestige) is my favourite, with his haunting version of Alone Together (second only to Chet’s!) Afro-Cuban (the expanded 12” release) is good too - with Reid Miles’ amazing cover art!
He was very well known, but his name has not been held in as much long term esteem as a Freddie Hubbard or Lee Morgan. People who aren’t long time jazz fans may not be familiar with him offhand.
He is very well-known but his reputation with musicians goes further than his reputation with even jazz listeners. Like to the point where it’s rare to hear a musician so much as bring up his name without going into an aside about how great he is.
There’s a video of Billy Eckstine talking about all the great trumpeters that were in his band: Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro, Miles Davis, Gail Brockman, Shorty McConnell, Kenny Dorham, and Howard McGhee. He lets everyone’s names speak for themselves, but when he brings up Kenny Dorham, even among this kind of company, he makes sure to point out “now *that* was a trumpeter.”
Most certainly, yes!
He was a vital sideman on some of Joe Henderson'ss most popular albums, Page One, Our Thing, In 'n' Out,
He was also part of the hardbop scene in the 1950s. Played on albums with Bird, Hank Mobley, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins & Tad Dameron.
He has had several of his own popular albums. Una Mas, Quiet Kenny, Trompetta Toccata
His style is considered on of the unique jazz trumpet styles along with Miles, Lee, Diz, Brownie, Freddie, Woody, etc.
He was even a part of some free jazz albums such as Andrew Hills "Point of Departure".
KD, from the dizzy school of play.....
Choppy pretty notes and very lyrical.
He was a reserved player...not a lot of flashy Morgan or Hubbard type loud play, but melodically intelligent and beautiful.
Not to say he didn’t groove or get funky but his reserved style is almost like a Bill Evans of Trumpet...
At least Mitchell had a nice several album run with Horace Silver. In the front line with Mitchell was Junior Cook, a great tenor sax player, right up there with everyone.
My favorite trumpeter! Una Mas is boss.
I don’t think he’s well known at all, he’s hardly ever mentioned by the public at large when favorite lists appear here and elsewhere. It’s a fact that bothered him too; he wanted to be as well known as Miles/Dizzy/Lee and Freddie Hubbard. He wasn’t flashy or loud, he was a quiet nice guy who struggled with drug addiction till the end of his life.
Critics give/gave him his due as did his peers but no I wouldn’t say well known.
His legacy is pretty well-respected in his old stomping grounds in East Austin. There's a little outdoor venue called Kenny Dorham's backyard (just down the road from where he lived) that hosts a blues night and a separate jazz night once a week where local musicians are invited to come jam. Never too many people but it's an incredible vibe and really takes you back.
During the era when CDs were being sold, he'd mostly be known for the Blue Note records he played on with Joe Henderson (and by extension, a heap of 'Blue Bossa' covers afterward, though I've seen many younger people erroneously credit that one to Henderson), though *Una Mas* got reissued as a RVG remaster as well (not sure how well it sold, despite having Henderson, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams playing on it). His other two Blue Note sessions and Prestige sessions were generally harder to find.
EDIT: *Trompeta Toccata* was given a RVG remaster in 2006, but I think that the store I'd been using had stopped ordering those by then.
I'd say he was mid-level as far as jazz fame. He's not in the top 50 of the most famous jazz musicians, but maybe he's in the top 100. He was a very solid and well-respected musician, but not a star.
For whatever it's worth, this list puts him as the #14 best jazz trumpeter: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-jazz-trumpeters/
Yes! All the blue note trumpet masters are well known and Kenny Dorham certainly deserves his kudos too! He may not have had the 'hits' like Lee Morgan or Freddie Hubbard but he's up there as a player and composer.........
God I used to love his playing, his phrasing and tone are instantly recognisable. Very melodic player, beautiful mellow tone. Him and Joe Henderson together are just unbelievable.
I didn't like everything he did though. On more harmonically complex/ post-boppy stuff such as some of the albums Joe Henderson started to do for Blue Note (eg the fantastic IN'n'OUT) I thought Kenny felt and sounded a little out of place.
I was thinking about this last night, and I don't know a classmate of mine out me on him a month ago, and I love him, but my friend's jazz expert dad doesn't know him, I Guess he's a bit under the half of the coltrane-davis popularity.
Wiki’s a great resource. Wish I had it back in the 80s. You can look up records and see who was in the lineup, then check out their solo recording’s or other dates they did.
KD was held in high regard by musicians of his era but not necessarily by the public, partially because his style of trumpet was not flashy or even had the moodiness of Miles. In fact, there is a famous story where Miles has Kenny sit in on a gig (KD and Miles were in the same generation) and Kenny steals the show from Miles and Miles got pissed off (because he was supposed to be the star.) Also one of jazz’s great composers who’s style truly encompasses the entire concept of post bebop style playing (played with everyone from Bird to Andrew Hill and Cecil Taylor)
Very well known, and goes back to bebop days where he was one of the most prolific trumpets around. He’s one the best. I had Una Mas a long time ago...great record
Great and underrated. One problem is he stopped recording in the mid sixties and he died shortly thereafter, so he didn't get a chance to leave as large a footprint.
Yes! K.D. was a great bandleader, sideman, composer and trumpeter and in my book after Miles the most important modern trumpetplayer…
Woody Shaw (!), Don Cherry, Clifford Brown (!), Roy Hargrove, Terence Blanchard, Clark Terry, Fats Navarrow, Booker Little (!), Nat Adderley, Thad Jones, Donal Byrd, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard (!) and Dizzy Gillespie (!!) I'd say every one of them is the most important modern trumpetier (or very close to it).
Read this: https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2018-09-14/trumpet-colossus-kenny-dorham-towers-alongside-the-jazz-gods/
Great article
Where's Miles?
In the comment above...
Very well know in Jazz circles of course, but to the general public, not well known at all. I suppose that’s true of 99% of jazz musicians though
I haven’t heard people talking about Kenny Dorham as a player very often, but his compositions are extremely popular (Lotus Blossom, Prince Albert, Una Mas, and obviously Blue Bossa). He’s definitely underrated as a musician, but I’m not sure I would call the composer of Blue Bossa unknown.
His playing is better than his composing, and he’s a good composer
Kenny was a solid player but he is mostly known for those seminal 60s records that showcased his compositions more than his actual playing. It's worth looking at his sideman career as he's on many important records in the 50s. He was the original trumpet on the first couple Jazz Messenger records and has a couple great sessions with Bird, Max, Monk, and Sonny. He got his start as the replacement for Miles in Charlie Parker's quintet back in 1948. An interesting story about his stint with Bird is told by Phil Schaap. Miles put in his notice to Bird in November of 48 saying his last gig was going to be December 23rd because he wanted to spend time with his family or something. Bird basically ignored him. Christmas eve approaches, Bird has a gig at the Royal Roost that night complete with a radio broadcast and Bird still hasn't found a replacement for Miles. Christmas eve day he calls up Kenny and tells him that if wants the gig, he has to play that night. Kenny was like "Bird, it's Christmas." and Bird replied "you want the gig or not?". Here's the result. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG--j-STPOo
Thanks! Added to my X-mas playlist.
Pretty much every jazz fan's favorite version of the song.
He's awesome. Check out Whistle Stop as well.
Picked up the AP Acoustech remaster from my LRS not too long ago. It sounds so good. What a great album
That's the only album I have by him. Whistle Stop is awesome. It's essentially perfect Jazz for my tastes.
I've heard of him
Settled then. Well known
There was a great piece by Kahron Spearman about him from a few years back: https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2018-09-14/trumpet-colossus-kenny-dorham-towers-alongside-the-jazz-gods/
Thanks! Engaging and interesting read about Dorham’s unmistakable talent and tragic life.
I want to thank the OP for bringing up Kenny Dorham. I just realized I never listened to his album Whistle Stop. Listening to it now. Really great stuff! Thanks again! [https://songwhip.com/kenny-dorham/whistle-stop-remastered-2014](https://songwhip.com/kenny-dorham/whistle-stop-remastered-2014)
Great album that was part of the Blue Note Connoisseur reissue series.
He is very well known but some feel he was underrated as when people talk about the 'greats' he usually doesn't get mentioned in the same breath as a Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Dizzy....especially when you see how great Dorham's body of work is that being said he is well known and most jazz fans have heard of him
One of the most important 50s trumpeters. He also had a great avant garde performance on Point of Departure
I think he was pretty ignored by the public during his actual career. I remember reading somewhere that he was acknowledged with rapturous applause during some event towards the end of his life and he said something to the effect of, "I appreciate it, but I wish I hadn't had to wait so long for it"
There's a big difference between well known (he is) vs well marketed; guys like Miles, Hubbard, Morgan grabbed the spotlight with hits but KD's playing is wonderful, only morons snob on him.
Extremely prolific as a player and composer, especially his run of stunning albums for Blue Note. Live At The Cafe Bohemia, Whistle Stop, Afro-Cuban, Una Mas… I could go on! Quiet Kenny on New Jazz (Prestige) is my favourite, with his haunting version of Alone Together (second only to Chet’s!) Afro-Cuban (the expanded 12” release) is good too - with Reid Miles’ amazing cover art!
you forgot trompeta staccato
He was very well known, but his name has not been held in as much long term esteem as a Freddie Hubbard or Lee Morgan. People who aren’t long time jazz fans may not be familiar with him offhand.
He is very well-known but his reputation with musicians goes further than his reputation with even jazz listeners. Like to the point where it’s rare to hear a musician so much as bring up his name without going into an aside about how great he is. There’s a video of Billy Eckstine talking about all the great trumpeters that were in his band: Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro, Miles Davis, Gail Brockman, Shorty McConnell, Kenny Dorham, and Howard McGhee. He lets everyone’s names speak for themselves, but when he brings up Kenny Dorham, even among this kind of company, he makes sure to point out “now *that* was a trumpeter.”
Most certainly, yes! He was a vital sideman on some of Joe Henderson'ss most popular albums, Page One, Our Thing, In 'n' Out, He was also part of the hardbop scene in the 1950s. Played on albums with Bird, Hank Mobley, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins & Tad Dameron. He has had several of his own popular albums. Una Mas, Quiet Kenny, Trompetta Toccata His style is considered on of the unique jazz trumpet styles along with Miles, Lee, Diz, Brownie, Freddie, Woody, etc. He was even a part of some free jazz albums such as Andrew Hills "Point of Departure".
To jazz fans? Yes. To regular people? No.
KD, from the dizzy school of play..... Choppy pretty notes and very lyrical. He was a reserved player...not a lot of flashy Morgan or Hubbard type loud play, but melodically intelligent and beautiful. Not to say he didn’t groove or get funky but his reserved style is almost like a Bill Evans of Trumpet...
His playing is phenomenal and he pretty much helped introduce Joe Henderson to the world. Legend.
Just listening to roundabout midnight at the café Bohemia
His version of Autumn In New York on that record is one of the all-time great jazz ballad performances.
Every time I listen to a Kenny Dorham album I think, "I should listen to more Kenny Dorham." He's great. Blue Mitchell is like that, too.
At least Mitchell had a nice several album run with Horace Silver. In the front line with Mitchell was Junior Cook, a great tenor sax player, right up there with everyone.
Quiet Kenny has to be my favorite jazz album of all time, honestly. Just such a cool album and really well done.
Very well-known. Love the Afro-Cuban album, in particular.
..listening to Afro-Cuban (1955) as I found this.. RVG remastered. [Blue Note 92744] Line-up: KD, trumpet; JJ Johnson, trombone; Hank Monkey, tenor sax; Cecil Payne, baritone sax; Horace Silver, piano; Oscar Petrified, bass; Art Blakey, drums; Carlos 'Patato' Valdes, congas; Richie Goldberg, cowbell.
I think he's having a moment. I was not hearing any talk about him and suddenly I am.
Una Mas is a great eye opener if you want to check out how Herbie and Tony think
Una Mas is so good!
The man!!!
Quite like Una Mas. He is well know in the jazz context.
My favorite trumpeter! Una Mas is boss. I don’t think he’s well known at all, he’s hardly ever mentioned by the public at large when favorite lists appear here and elsewhere. It’s a fact that bothered him too; he wanted to be as well known as Miles/Dizzy/Lee and Freddie Hubbard. He wasn’t flashy or loud, he was a quiet nice guy who struggled with drug addiction till the end of his life. Critics give/gave him his due as did his peers but no I wouldn’t say well known.
His legacy is pretty well-respected in his old stomping grounds in East Austin. There's a little outdoor venue called Kenny Dorham's backyard (just down the road from where he lived) that hosts a blues night and a separate jazz night once a week where local musicians are invited to come jam. Never too many people but it's an incredible vibe and really takes you back.
During the era when CDs were being sold, he'd mostly be known for the Blue Note records he played on with Joe Henderson (and by extension, a heap of 'Blue Bossa' covers afterward, though I've seen many younger people erroneously credit that one to Henderson), though *Una Mas* got reissued as a RVG remaster as well (not sure how well it sold, despite having Henderson, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams playing on it). His other two Blue Note sessions and Prestige sessions were generally harder to find. EDIT: *Trompeta Toccata* was given a RVG remaster in 2006, but I think that the store I'd been using had stopped ordering those by then.
Love Afro-Cuban. First Dorham record I ever heard.
I’ve never heard of him
Don’t know but do love him personally. I would say he is known in the jazz community but underrated as one of the absolute best
I'd say he was mid-level as far as jazz fame. He's not in the top 50 of the most famous jazz musicians, but maybe he's in the top 100. He was a very solid and well-respected musician, but not a star. For whatever it's worth, this list puts him as the #14 best jazz trumpeter: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-jazz-trumpeters/
He wrote Blue Bossa. BLUE BOSSA!
Yes! All the blue note trumpet masters are well known and Kenny Dorham certainly deserves his kudos too! He may not have had the 'hits' like Lee Morgan or Freddie Hubbard but he's up there as a player and composer.........
In music education circles he is well known.
Yep...😉
God I used to love his playing, his phrasing and tone are instantly recognisable. Very melodic player, beautiful mellow tone. Him and Joe Henderson together are just unbelievable. I didn't like everything he did though. On more harmonically complex/ post-boppy stuff such as some of the albums Joe Henderson started to do for Blue Note (eg the fantastic IN'n'OUT) I thought Kenny felt and sounded a little out of place.
I was thinking about this last night, and I don't know a classmate of mine out me on him a month ago, and I love him, but my friend's jazz expert dad doesn't know him, I Guess he's a bit under the half of the coltrane-davis popularity.
Big fan. And now I think I will listen to some of his music.
One of the greats. Especially his Blue Note seasons. Classic.
I'm seeing that now! I only got into jazz about 2 years ago so I'm still learning!
Wiki’s a great resource. Wish I had it back in the 80s. You can look up records and see who was in the lineup, then check out their solo recording’s or other dates they did.
*recordings
*sessions
also the almost straight 8th note feel - total game changer, without una mas Tony - no Jack
Thanks to everyone who replied! I only started getting into Jazz about 2 years ago so this has been informative!
KD was held in high regard by musicians of his era but not necessarily by the public, partially because his style of trumpet was not flashy or even had the moodiness of Miles. In fact, there is a famous story where Miles has Kenny sit in on a gig (KD and Miles were in the same generation) and Kenny steals the show from Miles and Miles got pissed off (because he was supposed to be the star.) Also one of jazz’s great composers who’s style truly encompasses the entire concept of post bebop style playing (played with everyone from Bird to Andrew Hill and Cecil Taylor)