Thin Man – Kenny Dorham
This early bebop song by Kenny Dorham comes from drummer Art Blakey's very first recording as a leader.
- Recording: Art Blakey - New Sounds
- Recorded on: December 22, 1947
- Label: Blue Note (BLP 5010)
- Concert Key: A-flat
- Style: Swing (medium up)
- Trumpet - Kenny Dorham
- Trombone - Howard Bowe
- Alto Sax - Sahib Shihab
- Tenor Sax - Musa Kaleem
- Bari Sax - Ernest Thompson
- Piano - Walter Bishop, Jr.
- Bass - LaVerne Barker
- Drums - Art Blakey
0:00
0:00
Though very much a bebop song, this composition is very recognizable as Kenny Dorham's. The melody comes right from his vocabulary at that key and tempo. The A section repeats and varies a four-measure theme over a variation of "rhythm changes." The bridge is harmonically more involved, with the richer harmonies that K.D. gravitated toward; the melody here emphasizes the sharp fourth/flat fifth of several of the dominant chords.
Solos are on "rhythm changes" with a variation of the head's bridge; the second half of this bridge consists of chromatically descending II-V7s as in The Eternal Triangle.
In this five-horn arrangement, the trumpet and alto sax play the A section melody in unison while the other horns have rhythmic hits together. These hits are indicated below the staff of the C lead sheet.
Solos are on "rhythm changes" with a variation of the head's bridge; the second half of this bridge consists of chromatically descending II-V7s as in The Eternal Triangle.
In this five-horn arrangement, the trumpet and alto sax play the A section melody in unison while the other horns have rhythmic hits together. These hits are indicated below the staff of the C lead sheet.
The session of December 22, 1947, was Art Blakey's first recording as a leader. The name "Messengers" was already used as "Art Blakey's Messengers," though the official Jazz Messengers was still a few years away. Though Dorham, Sahib Shihab, and Walter Bishop were by this time well established on the bebop scene, other members of this octet are more obscure. This appears to be both Musa Kaleem's first and Ernest Thompson's last recording. Kaleem is perhaps best known for playing with Eddie Jefferson and James Moody in the '50s; Thompson played in Louis Armstrong's big band in the mid-'40s. Bassist LaVerne Barker was a member of the Andy Kirk and Lucky Millinder big bands, and trombonist Howard Bowe is only known from this session.
Kenny Dorham
August 30, 1924 – December 15, 1972
August 30, 2024, was Kenny Dorham's 100th birthday: jazzleadsheets.com has added 10 new K.D. compositions: K.D.News! Check them out! Kenny was inducted into the Lincoln Center Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame On October 16, 2024, with a Tribute Concert at Dizzy's Club. Four of Kenny's daughters were in attendance. Read more...