August 30, 2025, is Kenny Dorham's 101st birthday! During Kenny's centennial year we've added yet more of his compositions, or new editions, to jazzleadsheets.com. Lots of great new music to check out, from the '40s through the '60s! Starred (*) songs indicate titles Kenny never got the chance to record himself. In alphabetical order:
As I Live And Breathe* (instrumental and vocal) - Kenny wrote the lyric too!
Blue Bossa - Kenny's second recording
Blue Friday - his second recording in a new key
Blue Lament* - Don Sickler's version, Kenny's was unissued by Blue Note
Blue Spring - check out his bass line
Blue Interlude* - written for the delight of drummer Art Taylor!
Buffalo - "southwestern funk," according to Ira Gitler's liner notes
Butch's Blues - for bassist Butch Warren
El Matador - possibly Kenny's only 5/4 composition
The Fox - excitement for everyone in the band
High Seas* - Kenny wrote this for drummer Art Taylor's Blue Note session
Hill's Edge - hear how Kenny disguises the form
Jazz-Classic - a cute classically inspired duet; two horns, bass, drums
K.D.'s Blues - a "cool" blues
N.Y. Theme - from Jazz Messengers at the Cafe Bohemia
Newport News* - a Chico Hamilton recording, plus a duet
No End* - Curtis Fuller & Jimmy Heath brought this gem to Don Sickler, never recorded by Kenny
Noose Bloos - a snappy riff blues
Passion Spring - recorded as a septet, passionate lyricism, subtle details
Poetic Spring - masterful interplay between accompaniment & melody
Riffin' - riffs again, a blues
Sky Blue - from a Swedish TV show - you can see Kenny!
Spring Cannon - Kenny wrote this for Cannonball Adderley, on their only recording together
Strictly Confidential* co-written with Bud Powell (and a vocal version, This Is Strictly Confidential)
Sunrise In Mexico - Kenny's reflections of his childhood home
Sunset - a K.D. modal song
Trompeta Toccata - dramatic trumpet playing!
Venita's Dance - quintet and sextet
Whistle Stop - definitely hear the train leaving the station! Lots of fun.
A Waltz - from Kenny's Jazz Contemporary album
In addition we have new transcribed solos! Kenny's solos are now available for Horn Salute and Pedro's Time; Back Road and Escapade now have transcriptions of both Kenny and Joe Henderson, and finally we have Kenny's and Hank Mobley's solos from the original Jazz Messengers recording of N.Y. Theme.