Kenny Dorham

Kenny Dorham was an American jazz trumpeter who made many recordings in the 1950s and 1960s that continue to be regarded highly by fans and critics. He was praised for his melodic and lyrical be-bop style but he never made the breakthrough to mainstream fame.

The Texas-born musician grew up in a musical family, learned to play the piano as a child and picked up the trumpet while at high school. After military service he signed on with Dizzy Gillespie's big band and had stints with drummer Art Blakey, pianist Bud Powell, drummer Kenny Clarke, saxophonist Sonny Stitt, and band leaders Lionel Hampton and Mercer Ellington. In 1948, he succeeded Miles Davis in Charlie Parker's band, went on to record with Thelonious Monk and in 1953 released his first album as leader, 'Kenny Dorham Quintet'. Albums followed with saxophonists Sonny Rollins, Ernie Henry, Cannonball Adderley, Steve Kuhn and Jackie McLean. In 1975 his 1960 release 'The Arrival of Kernny Dorham' was re-released as 'The Kenny Dorham Memorial Album'. He died from kidney disease in 1972.