Kenny Dorham
Dorham in aDownBeat advertisement
Background information
Birth name	McKinley Howard Dorham
Born	(1924-08-30)August 30, 1924 Fairfield, Texas, U.S.
Died	December 5, 1972(1972-12-05) (aged 48) New York City, U.S.
Genres	Jazz,bebop,mainstream jazz,hard bop
Occupation(s)	Musician, bandleader, composer
Instrument(s)	Trumpet, vocals

McKinley Howard "Kenny"Dorham (August 30, 1924 – December 5, 1972)^[1] was an Americanjazz trumpeter, composer, and occasional singer. Dorham's talent is frequently lauded by critics and other musicians, but he never received the kind of attention or public recognition from the jazz establishment that many of his peers did. For this reason, writerGary Giddins said that Dorham's name has become "virtually synonymous with 'underrated'."^[2]

Dorham also composed thebossa novajazz standard "Blue Bossa", which was first recorded by his associateJoe Henderson.

Dorham was one of the most activebebop trumpeters. Early in his career, he played in thebig bands ofLionel Hampton,Billy Eckstine,Dizzy Gillespie, andMercer Ellington, and inCharlie Parker's quintet.^[1] He joined Parker's band in December 1948.^[3] He was a charter member of the original cooperativethe Jazz Messengers.^[1] He also recorded as a sideman withThelonious Monk andSonny Rollins, and he replacedClifford Brown in theMax Roach Quintet after Brown's death in 1956.^[1] In addition to sideman work, Dorham led his own groups, including the Jazz Prophets^[1] (formed shortly afterArt Blakey took over the Jazz Messengers name). The Jazz Prophets, featuring a youngBobby Timmons on piano, bassistSam Jones, and tenormanJ. R. Monterose, with guestKenny Burrell on guitar, recorded alive album,'Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, in 1956 forBlue Note.

In 1963, Dorham added the 26-year-old tenor saxophonistJoe Henderson to his group,^[1] which later recorded the albumUna Mas. The friendship between the two musicians led to a number of other albums, such as Henderson'sPage One,Our Thing, andIn 'n Out. Dorham recorded frequently throughout the 1960s for Blue Note andPrestige Records, as leader and as sideman for Henderson,Jackie McLean,Cedar Walton,Andrew Hill,Milt Jackson, and others.^[1]

Dorham's later quartet consisted of some well-known jazz musicians:Tommy Flanagan (piano),Paul Chambers (double bass), andArt Taylor (drums). Their recording debut wasQuiet Kenny for Prestige's New Jazz label, an album which featured mostlyballads. An earlier quartet featuring Dorham as co-leader with alto saxophone playerErnie Henry had released an album together under the name "Kenny Dorham/Ernie Henry Quartet." They produced the album2 Horns / 2 Rhythm forRiverside Records in 1957, with double bassist Eddie Mathias and drummerG.T. Hogan. In 1990, the album was re-released on CD under the name "Kenny Dorham Quartet featuring Ernie Henry".^[4][5]

During his final years, Dorham suffered from kidney disease, from which he died on December 5, 1972, aged 48.^[6]

• 1924 births
• 1972 deaths
• 20th-century African-American male singers
• 20th-century American male singers
• 20th-century American singers
• 20th-century American jazz composers
• African-American jazz musicians
• American jazz singers
• American jazz trumpeters
• American male jazz composers
• American male trumpeters
• Bebop trumpeters
• Blue Note Records artists
• Hard bop trumpeters
• Mainstream jazz trumpeters
• Muse Records artists
• People from Freestone County, Texas
• Riverside Records artists
• Savoy Records artists
• The Jazz Messengers members
• Xanadu Records artists
• American bossa nova musicians

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