Whistle Stop

Composer of “Blue Bossa”, one of the most popular jazz standards of all time, trumpeter Kenny Dorham (1924-1972) was a rather neglected and little-known figure during his lifetime. Decades later, not much has changed. Greatly overshadowed by the stardom of Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Brown, and Fats Navarro, this underrated bebop giant was nevertheless a highly talented musician who performed with some of the most remarkable players of the era. “I was groomed to succeed Fats Navarro, who had succeeded Diz”, Kenny once declared. “It was really a hot chair. I was following the two most outstanding trumpeters in jazz history.” He recorded with Bud Powell; was a regular member of the Charlie Parker quintet (they toured Paris) and replaced the late Clifford Brown in the Max Roach quintet in 1956. Whistle Stop (Blue Note BLP 4063), on which he shares the front line with tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, is one of his best albums as a leader. According to jazz reviewer Bob Blumenthal, “five British critics picked Whistle top as one of 200 albums that belonged in a basic library of jazz recorded after World War II”. Dorham’s previous album, Showboat (Time Records S/2024), also recorded in a quintet format (with alto saxophonist Jimmy Heath) and also showcasing Kenny Drew on piano, has been added here in its entirety as a bonus.