Artist:Kenny Dorham
Song:La Villa
Album:The Complete Albums 1953-1959
Jazz trumpeter Kenny Dorham falls under the category frequently overlooked. He was a great musician and his 50s albums are especially worthwhile. But he faded in the 60s and died in 1972. He was born McKinley Howard Dorham Aug. 30, 1924 in Fairfield, TX. Dorham played in high school and college bands. He started out in Lionel Hampton's band but was soon recruited to bebop by Dizzy Gillespie and Billy Eckstine. He was in Charlie Parker's band and then the original Jazz Messengers led by Horace Silver. He recorded his debut album as a leader in 1953 for Debut Records owned by Charles Mingus and Max Roach. It was called Kenny Dorham Quintet with Jimmy Heath on sax, Walter Bishop on piano, Percy Heath on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums. This album was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Hackensack, NJ. No doubt Van Gelder told Blue Note Records owner Alfred Lion about Dorham. So Dorham's 1955 album Afro-Cuban was on Blue Note. This is probably Dorham's best known album and the one most should listen to first. The band is Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Cecil Payne on baritone sax, Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey on drums. Most of the songs including La Villa were written by Dorham. The best way to get this album is through this 4CD set from Enlightenment Records featuring Dorham's 50s albums. Dorham recorded mostly for Riverside in the late 50s. He returned to Blue Note in 1961 and also recorded for Pacific Jazz and United Artists. Dorham added tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson to his band in 1963. Dorham stayed when Henderson became popular in the late 60s. Kenny Dorham last recorded as a leader in 1965. But he continued with Henderson and as a sideman until his death from kidney failure on Dec. 5, 1972 at age 48. Here's a video for La Villa by Kenny Dorham.
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