As I Live And Breathe – Kenny Dorham

Don Sickler: "We can thank the saxophonist Charles Davis for preserving Kenny's composition As I Live And Breathe. I worked with Charles a lot when I was with Philly Joe Jones, and then Dameronia, a band Philly Joe created to feature the music of Tadd Dameron. Charles brought me a vocal lead sheet manuscript for this composition, which said "music and lyrics by Kenny Dorham." That's our only source, a vocal lead sheet, which is not in Kenny's hand. Charles thought Kenny wrote it for Abbey Lincoln, which made sense, since Kenny was on three of Abbey's albums as a leader. Charles told me that Kenny gave Abbey Lincoln a copy of the lead sheet, hoping she would record it, but unfortunately she never did. Kenny had recorded on three of Abbey's albums as a leader, so he was familiar with her voice and phrasing.

"Cecilia Coleman and I recorded this exquisite ballad at the Van Gelder Recording Studio, where Kenny did many of his albums. Rudy always said he loved having Kenny there, for his music as well as his personality. While Rudy is gone now, the great sound his studio produces remains, saved to digital by Maureen Sickler, my wife."