Through the history of any genre of any art, there are a couple of universal truths that become established. One is that history is written by the winners, or in the case of art, the critics. The other is that some works age badly while others get better with age. In a genre where imitation is the sincerest form of flattery (and the quickest way to a record deal) it is very easy for the seminal works to quickly sound dated. I equate it to everyone watching the same VHS tape over and over. It may look good the first 1000 times, but give it time and the original just gets worn down.

While there are definitely some masterpieces that stand the test of time (i.e. Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue", Louis Armstrong's "Hot Fives and Sevens"), every musician makes albums that sound "of their time". John Coltrane's "Crescent" may be timeless, but most will agree that albums like "Blue Train" and "Stellar Regions" are not. What decides what is and is not "time-less" has more to do with the listening public than the listener itself. Dave Brubeck's "Time Out" has become so synonymous with the 50's through it's use in TV and Film that it's impossible not to think of the 50's when you hear it. Maybe it's fortunate then that albums like Kenny Dorham's "Quiet Kenny" go under-exposed. With no chance of being played into the ground, people can approach it with fresh ears and open minds.

A quick history first.....

Kenny Dorham may be the epitomy of the term "under-appreciated". Despite playing with virtually every major figure, and being on the short list of every musicians favorite trumpeters, he has never garnered the acclaim of someone like Miles Davis (who he replaced in Charlie Parker's quintet) or Cecil Taylor (with whom he recorded an album). A contemporary of Miles Davis, his career spanned almost thirty years before he died in 1972. Although he had already played in the bands of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, he got his first starring role when he replaced Clifford Brown in Art Blakey's Jazz Messenger's.
He would go on to record classic albums for Blue Note and Riverside records, all the while portraying the sensitive, sturdy sound he was known for.

While all of Kenny Dorham's albums are highly recommended, I propose that "Quiet Kenny" is his masterpiece. In a time (1959) where jazz was at a cross roads, "Quiet Kenny" stands out for it's lack of gimmickry and it's straight-forward approach, and subtle presentation.
With a band featuring Tommy Flanagan on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums, Dorham swings melodically through a mix of well-known standards and originals.

The track on the album, Dorham's "Lotus Blossom" (also known as "Asiatic Rays", is the most up-tempo cut on the album. A minor keyed theme with effective "hits" by the rhythm section, this is Dorham's best-known song and has become a jazz standard. While many consider any trumpet player who doesn't play high "C"'s over and over to be a Miles-clone, Dorham's style is an intriguing mix of Louis Armstrong (who he acknowledges as an influence), trumpeters like Buck Clayton and Freddie Webster, and some Dizzy Gillespie on top. On this track, you can hear how a master musician is able to express himself through melody even at fast tempos.

The next track, the standard "My Ideal" (made famous by Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane), is a beautiful ballad taken at a medium-tempo. Always one to eschew cliches, Kenny Dorham plays a solo that could easily be a second melody. Tommy Flanagan gives beautiful accompaniment, as he does the entire album, and Art Taylor shows why he was the master he was.

The two blues on the album, "Blue Friday" and "Blue Spring Shuffle", are originals that show off Kenny's funkier side. There aren't too many musicians that can play the blues without falling back on pet licks, but Kenny never sounds like he's playing cliches. Just beautiful melodies. Also of note on these tracks is Paul Chambers. You can really judge a jazz musician by how he plays the blues. They either bore you in three choruses or are really good. Chamber's "walking" accompaniment is better than most player's solos.

The rest of the tracks on the album, "Alone Together", "Mack the Knife", "Old Folks", and "I Had the Craziest Dream" are all equally exceptional. Of special note is Kenny's version of "Dream" which was made popular by the trumpet player Harry James. It takes a special player to take the most hackneyed songs and make them work again. The way he plays this and "Old Folks" (possibly the only song with lyrics about a crazy old man from the Civil War) make one realize that a true master can make ANY material sound good.

Lastly, and I'm serious, this is one of the few albums in jazz that can actually be listened to while making love. I'm not being derogatory here, but if anyone has seen the film "Jerry McGuire" you know that you just don't do that to Charles Mingus. One of the beauties of this album is it's unforced intimacy. It's gentle and subdued, but it never loses it's energy or swing. You don't have to be "in the mood" for this album. It's great anytime and you can enjoy it on every level. What else can I say? Go out and get it.


Recommended: Yes