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...