On May 31, 1956, an very inspired night at the legendary Café Bohemia, the great trumpeter Kenny Dorham was featured with his working quintet, which included pianist Bobby Timmons (three years before he found fame with Cannonball Adderley), and the unsung but brilliant tenor-saxophonist J.R. Monterose. With guitarist Kenny Burrell being the special guest, the results not only define hard bop of the period but show why both the music and the trumpeter were so special. One of the most important leaders of the second generation of beboppers, Kenny Dorham played with both the Dizzy Gillespie big band and the Charlie Parker Quintet. While he learned directly from the masters, he was never content to merely ride on their coat tails and he developed into one of the pacesetters of hard bop. During 1955-63 Dorham recorded quite a few gems for Blue Note but At The Bohemia is very special. To hear the distinctive trumpeter playing his heart out on his features "Who Cares" and "Autumn In New York" is to eavesdrop on jazz history. |
