Whistle Stop Kenny Dorham

• 1 Philly Twist 05:38
• 2 Buffalo 07:39
• 3 Sunset 06:19
• 4 Whistle Stop 05:55
• 5 Sunrise In Mexico 05:38
• 6 Windmill 06:16
• 7 Dorham's Epitaph 01:09
• Total Runtime 38:34

Info for Whistle Stop

Kenny Dorham's best Blue Note date, and arguably the best of his career, is the exceptional Whistle Stop. Although he never received the same recognition as trumpeters like Miles Davis or Lee Morgan, Dorham was a stellar talent.

This session crystallizes all of Dorham's skill as a soloist, leader, and composer, as all selections are originals. The trumpeter's frequent partner Joe Henderson is replaced here with the equally talented Hank Mobley along with pianist Kenny Drew and the legendary rhythm team of Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones. These ingredients form a magical combination that defines the golden age of hard bop. The group blows strong from the outset with the bluesy 'Philly Twist,' a tribute to and feature for the legendary drummer.

Dorham reflects many influences in his writing and playing, from the hushed rhumba of 'Sunset,' to the bebop-flavored title track. His penchant for elaborate arrangements is evident in the programmatic 'Sunrise in Mexico,' easily the set's most intricate cut. Dorham's 'talking' trumpet style shines throughout the date and is a fine counter to Mobley's swinging tenor wails. The final cut, 'Dorham's Epitaph,' is a brief vignette that offers a glimpse of the trumpeter's aspirations to even grander musical heights. This 1961 date is one of the genuinely classic Blue Note hard-bop sessions.

Trumpeter Dorham is joined by tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, once his frontline partner in the original Jazz Messengers, the underrated pianist Kenny Drew, and one of the finest rhythm teams ever to play jazz, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones. The immediate distinguishing mark is Dorham's writing. Though only his 'Blue Bossa' has become a jazz standard, he was a serious writer, not someone who merely dashed off casual heads. His tunes here have substance, like the sparkling blues 'Buffalo' and the evocative, modal 'Sunset' with its sudden piano punctuations under the theme. The title tune contrasts eerie dissonance with a snapping bop line, and 'Sunrise in Mexico' orchestrates bass and piano into the theme.

The concluding 'Dorham's Epitaph,' at little more than a minute, has an unadorned majesty. Dorham and Mobley shared a forceful lyricism and a rare camaraderie, and there are moments in 'Sunrise' when Dorham's half-valves even suggest Mobley's round tenor sound. Jones makes a special contribution, adding a propulsive spark and a constant stream of detail.“ (Stuart Broomer)

Kenny Dorham, trumpet
Hank Mobley, tenor saxophone
Kenny Drew, piano
Paul Chambers, double bass
Philly Joe Jones, drums

Recorded January 15, 1961 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs
Engineered by Rudy Van Gelder
Produced by Alfred Lion

Digitally remastered

Kenny Dorham
Throughout his career, Kenny Dorham was almost famous for being underrated since he was consistently overshadowed by Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro, Miles Davis, Clifford Brown, and Lee Morgan. Dorham was never an influential force himself but a talented bop-oriented trumpeter and an excellent composer who played in some very significant bands. In 1945, he was in the orchestras of Dizzy Gillespie and Billy Eckstine, he recorded with the Be Bop Boys in 1946, and spent short periods with Lionel Hampton and Mercer Ellington. During 1948-1949, Dorham was the trumpeter in the Charlie Parker Quintet. After some freelancing in New York in 1954, he became a member of the first version of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and for a short time led a group called the Jazz Prophets, which recorded on Blue Note. After Clifford Brown's death, Dorham became his replacement in the Max Roach Quintet (1956-1958) and then he led several groups of his own. He recorded several fine dates for Riverside (including a vocal album in 1958), New Jazz, and Time, but it is his Blue Note sessions of 1961-1964 that are among his finest. Dorham was an early booster of Joe Henderson (who played with his group in 1963-1964). After the mid-'60s, Kenny Dorham (who wrote some interesting reviews for Down Beat) began to fade and he died in 1972 of kidney disease. Among his many originals is one that became a standard, "Blue Bossa." (Scott Yanow). Source: Blue Note Records.

This album contains no booklet.