Kenny Dorham Flamboyant

This somewhat obscure Kenny Dorham LP features the excellent hard bop trumpeter in a quintet with baritonist Charles Davis, pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Butch Warren, and drummer Buddy Enlow. The straight-ahead music includes features for Davis ("When Sunny Gets Blue") and Warren, but Dorham consistently takes honors, particularly on his "Stage West," "I'm an Old Cowhand," "Stella by Starlight," and "Lazy Afternoon."

During the spring and summer of 1956, trumpeter Kenny Dorham recorded two studio albums with his Jazz Prophets, a small hard bop band involving tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose and a rhythm section of pianist Dick Katz, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Arthur Edgehill. On May 31 of that year, Dorham's group performed live at the Café Bohemia with Bobby Timmons at the piano and guitarist Kenny Burrell sitting in on all but the first of four sets. Originally engineered by Rudy Van Gelder and remastered by him in 2001, Blue Note's 2002 double-disc "Complete" Dorham Café Bohemia edition combines every usable track taped during this exceptionally fine evening of live jazz…

Considered Kenny Dorham's finest recording of his all-too-short career, this re-reissue has been newly remastered and presumably now includes all of the takes from these nonet and sextet sessions of 1955. Considering the time period, this date remains way ahead of the Latin-tinged and hard bop music that would follow. It would be difficult to assess the sextet being a step below the larger group effort, but only because it is much less Afro-Cuban. Nonetheless the unmistakable drumming of Art Blakey powers the combo through the blisteringly swinging "La Villa" with unison horns (Hank Mobley, tenor sax; Cecil Payne, baritone sax)…

This set was recorded in the studio on 4/4/56, one month before the classic "Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia." The fellow Prophets are J. R. Monterose, the diminutive tenor saxist of the Sonny Rollins style of blowing; Dick Katz, a very busy pianist these days who continues to grow in stature; Sam Jones, bass and Arthur Edgehill, drums.
The group’s namesake opens with a minor-keyed unison line. The second and last eight bars have a chord sequence somewhat similar to All God's Chillun Got Rhythm. The theme is followed by eight bars of what George Wallington calls “the peck” (short, staccato-phrased interplay between the two horns).
The walking Blues Elegante’ has a twelve bar opening by Dick Katz and twenty-four of Sam Jone’s big-toned bass. The two horns follow with the rather unusual theme, Kenny playing muted…

In the liner notes of Quiet Kenny, former Downbeat magazine publisher Jack Maher states that trumpeter Kenny Dorham's music is not necessarily the demure, balladic, rapturous jazz one might associate as romantic or tranquil. Cool and understated might be better watchwords for what the ultra-melodic Dorham achieves on this undeniably well crafted set of standards and originals that is close to containing his best work overall during a far too brief career. Surrounded by an excellent rhythm team of the equally sensitive pianist Tommy Flanagan, emerging bassist Paul Chambers, and the always-beneficial drummer Art Taylor, Dorham and his mates are not prone to missteps or overt exaggerations. One of Dorham's all-time best tunes "Lotus Blossom" kicks off the set with its bop to Latin hummable melody, fluid dynamics, and Dorham's immaculate, unpretentious tone…

This CD reissue of a Kenny Dorham session that was originally on the Time label features the talented trumpeter and an all-star quintet (with Jimmy Heath on tenor, pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Art Taylor) playing six famous themes from the Jerome Kern play Show Boat. All of the melodies ("Why Do I Love You?," "Nobody Else but Me," "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man," "Make Believe," "Ol' Man River" and "Bill") are heard in likable and swinging versions. This is one of Dorham's better sessions from the era and is easily recommended to his fans and collectors of hard bop.

This Blue Note 80 Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180 gram vinyl at Optimal.

In lieu of picking up one of the trumpeter's fine Blue Note releases (Una Mas, Whistle Stop), listeners new to the work of Kenny Dorham should definitely consider this somewhat overlooked Riverside date from 1959. The set features plenty of Dorham's varied and sophisticated horn work and four of his top-drawer originals. The theme is spring, and Dorham responds with his soon to be jazz standard "Spring Is Here" and three other fine seasonal tributes: the title track, "Poetic Spring," and "Spring Cannon." This last cut is also a tribute to Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, who guests in fine style here with a bevy of fleet and highly melodic solos. Rounding out the group, baritone saxophonist Cecil Payne, French horn player David Amram, and pianist Cedar Walton add very nicely to the album's breezy yet provocative air. Essential listening for Dorham fans.