Butch's Blues – Kenny Dorham
Kenny Dorham wrote this bouncy blues head as a bass feature for Butch Warren—on Butch’s very first recording session! The recorded quintet arrangement is available; our Condensed Score is also the rhythm section part.
- Recording: Kenny Dorham - The Arrival
- Recorded on: January 10, 1960
- Label: Jaro (JAM 5007)
- Concert Key: F
- Vocal Range: , to
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Trumpet - Kenny Dorham
- Bari Sax - Charles Davis
- Piano - Tommy Flanagan
- Bass - Butch Warren
- Drums - Buddy Enlow
Video
- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
This bouncy blues head was originally recorded as a bass feature, but it certainly works with other instruments on the melody; lead sheets are available in all transpositions. On the recording, the bass melody is punctuated by harmonized rhythmic figures from the horns; the piano catches the last two measures of these. The two choruses of the head have the same rhythms, but different harmony notes in the horn figures. Our lead sheets show these same figures below the staff; these could be piano comping rhythms if playing with a melody instrument other than bass. The recorded arrangement is available with a Condensed Score and horn parts, which have bass melody rhythms cued below the staff. The Condensed Score is also the rhythm section part; click on Bass Corner for more details.
Butch Warren, 20 years old at the time, was not only given his recording debut by Kenny Dorham on “The Arrival” but this virtuosic feature—he was clearly up to the challenge! Butch’s next recording was also with K.D., for the first session of “Jazz Contemporary.” In 1963 the two recorded together again on two classic Blue Note albums: Dorham’s “Una Mas” and Joe Henderson’s “Page One”.
For the other Dorham original on “The Arrival"—also a blues—check out Stage West.
For the other Dorham original on “The Arrival"—also a blues—check out Stage West.
Walter Davis, Jr.'s Solo Piano Arrangement is also available. The entire quintet arrangement is contained in this piano format: bass melody in the left hand, and chord punctuations in the right hand. As the quintet version is a workout for the bass, this one is a great opportunity for pianists to work on left hand melody.
Butch’s Blues is a great melody workout for the bass, full of high-register triplet lines. We do not have a separate bass part but rather a Concert Condensed Score which is also a rhythm section part, giving everyone a chance to see exactly what is going on. The bass melody is in the bottom staff, and the top staff shows the horn figures that punctuate the melody.
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Kenny Dorham
August 30, 1924 – December 15, 1972
August 30, 2025, is Kenny Dorham's 101st birthday: jazzleadsheets.com has added many new K.D. compositions. Jazz At Lincoln Center has dedicated three late-night sets to Kenny's music, played with love by young musicians who want his music to live on. Join in, play K.D. music! Read more...
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