Mexico City – Kenny Dorham

A minor-key, uptempo bebop workout, Mexico City features a rhythm section arrangement that is classic Kenny Dorham. The melody is exciting by itself, with an animated rhythmic kick, but rhythm section figures give it further definition throughout. Besides the 32-measure AABC form, there's a 16-measure pedal point intro and an eight-measure interlude after the in head, with a break for the first solo. This interlude is only played once on the recording, but as indicated in our lead sheets and parts it could also be played between soloists.

Solos are essentially on the head form, but at this fast tempo it also works to "skate" over the changes; the A and C sections of the solo chorus are written as Dm6 throughout with "or A changes" below the staff. Kenny Dorham and tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose start their solos on the recording over bass and drums only, without piano comping.

The lead sheets are the first horn parts; we also have second horn parts, piano and bass parts. Drummers should read the C treble clef lead sheet, which shows all important rhythm section figures. The drums hit with the piano and bass on these figures, but adding ride cymbal time on the intro and hi-hat time at A.

The tenor sax adds trills on the intro behind the trumpet melody. At A the horns are in octaves for four measures and then unison; B and the interlude have two-horn harmonies. The tenor sax 2nd part goes quite low for alto, so our alto sax 2nd part is written to be unison throughout the A section; the alto harmony notes in the first half of the bridge are also an octave above the tenor, though still below the melody notes.