BLP 1524

Kenny Dorham - 'Round About Midnight At The Cafe Bohemia

Released - October 1956

Recording and Session Information

"Cafe Bohemia", NYC, 1st set, May 31, 1956
Kenny Dorham, trumpet; Bobby Timmons, piano; Sam Jones, bass; Arthur Edgehill, drums.

tk.5 Autumn In New York

"Cafe Bohemia", NYC, 2nd set, May 31, 1956
Kenny Dorham, trumpet; J.R. Monterose, tenor sax; Bobby Timmons, piano; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Sam Jones, bass; Arthur Edgehill, drums.

tk.9 Hills Edge
A Night In Tunisia

"Cafe Bohemia", NYC, 3rd set, May 31, 1956
Kenny Dorham, trumpet; J.R. Monterose, tenor sax; Bobby Timmons, piano; Kenny Burrell, guitar #1,3; Sam Jones, bass; Arthur Edgehill, drums.

tk.14 Mexico City
tk.15 'Round About Midnight
tk.16 Monaco

See Also: BNJ-61003 BNJ-61004

Session Photos

Photos: Francis Wolff/Mosaic Images / 
https://www.mosaicrecordsimages.com/

Track Listing

Side One
Title	Author	Recording Date
Monaco	Kenny Dorham	31/05/1956
Round About Midnight	Thelonious Monk	31/05/1956
Mexico City	Kenny Dorham	31/05/1956
Side Two
A Night In Tunisia	Gillepie, Robin	31/05/1956
Autumn In New York	Vernon Duke	31/05/1956
Hill's Edge	Kenny Dorham	31/05/1956

Credits

Cover Photo:	FRANCIS WOLFF
Cover Design:	REID K. MILES
Engineer:	RUDY VAN GELDER
Producer:	ALFRED LION
Liner Notes:	LEONARD FEATHER

Liner Notes

IN THE COURSE of introducing Kenny Dorham's initial Blue Note LP BLP 5065 I felt obliged to point out that here was an artist who had been known too little for too long, whose fame had never quite caught up with his creative ability.

Happily, since that time, the situation has improved. While not yet ready to knock Louis Armstrong off his pedestal, Kenny has certainly made substantial inroads in the area of public appreciation.

At the time of the release of BLP 5065 (Afro-Cuban) Kenny was working more or less regularly with a group that subsequently earned recognition as the Jazz Messengers (preserved for posterity on [[BLP1507 and BLP 1508. The original Messengers have since splintered off into several directions, with Kenny now delivering his message, with his own group.

The shifting of personnels in name jazz groups often involves little more than a game of musical chairs; A quits B to replace in in D's combo, while C leaves D to join B, etc. In Kenny Dorham's case the developments have been a little more imaginative, for you will find in his line-up several soloists who are relatively new to the scene and none who can be said to be overfamiliar or over-recorded.

It was only a year or so ago that jazz fans hearing the name of J.R. Monterose tended to think of a west coast musician, Jack Monterose, who had arrived in the limelight a little sooner. Today Frank Anthony Monterose Jr, who derives the "J.R." from his junior status, is rapidly pushing to the forefront as a tenor saxophonist who will be confused neither in name nor style with anyone else.

Like so many new jazz stars in general of late and Blue Note discoveries in particular, J.R. is a Detroiter by birth. Now 29, he was raised in Utica, N.Y., played clarinet in the Utica Junior Symphony and began to work with territory bands around 1948. After working with the late Harry Busse in 1950, he came to New York, played in Buddy Rich's 1952 outfit, then spent a couple of years around Syracuse, returning to the Apple in '54 with Claude Thornhill. For the past year or two he has been increasingly visible and audible on the Greenwich Village and Broadway sound stages, gigging with Nick Stabulas, Teddy Charles, Dan Terry, Charlie Mingus and others.

The Dorham rhythm section that supports Kenny and J.R. is noteworthy not only for its collective cohesion but for the individual contributions of its gifted members. Bobby Timmons, from Philadelphia, whose piano reflects the intelligent absorption of a variety of modern influences rapidly evolving into a style of his own, is only 19 years old and had worked with Kenny's group for barely two weeks when these sides were taped. He later left to join Chet Baker's combo. Kenny Burrell, the 25-year-old guitar discovery from Detroit, worked with Dizzy Gillespie and Oscar Peterson briefly, settled in New York a year ago and can be heard to full advantage in a fine session of his own on BLP 1523. Arthur Edgehill has been one of the lesser known but more swinging drummers on this fringe of the big time for some years, a familiar and welcome figure at Minton's Play House, where nobody is welcome whose beat doesn't meet the most rigid of requirements. Sam Jones, latest of the many fine rhythm men bearing this surname, has worked with Tiny Bradshaw and more recently been part of the Cannonball Adderley combo.

The session was recorded on May 31, 1956, at the Café Bohemia, when Alfred Lion, armed only with the redoubtable Rudy Van Gelder and with a battery of microphones, tape reels and recording equipment, stormed the Barrow Street citadel and won a bloodless victory in several hours of concentrated cutting.

An overall impression of the results points up one interesting fact: clearly Kenny has a predilection for tunes in a minor key, whether he is borrowing from Dizzy or Monk (Night in Tunisia, 'Round About Midnight) or writing them himself (Monaco, Mexico City, Hill's Edge). Far from tending toward monotony, the result lends homogeneity to the feel of the session and brings out in Kenny a certain cloudy charm that has long been a vital component of his work.

Monaco, which starts out with a slow and persuasive Latin beat, soon doubles up to produce a long, fleet solo by Kenny that demonstrates most cogently his personal qualities: long, flowing phrases, even strings of eighth notes interrupted appropriately by syncopations and grace notes, and an overall sense of continuity and mood. Though there are occasional forays into the higher register, these seem a natural part of the whole and are never included for melodramatic effect. J.R.'s solo immediately afterward follows like a logical extension of the same ideas, for his style in many ways is the exact tenor counterpart of Kenny's own. Burrell also has an excellent solo passage later.

'Round About Midnight follows what has become the traditional pattern for small-combo interpretations of the Thelonious Monk these, with Kenny and J.R. digging deep into its pensive mood and Bobby Timmons contributing a sensitive 16-bar solo.

Mexico City, a crackling up-tempo minor theme with a boppish flavor, is perhaps the grooviest item in a generally exciting and consistent session. All four soloists are heard, while Edgehill and Jones keep a breathlessly intense beat going from top to bottom.

A Night In Tunisia, written almost 13 years ago by Dizzy Gillespie and now a modern standard, has earned a standardized treatment in which the opening Latin rhythm soon gives way to straight four-four. Kenny Burrell plays an important part in this one with a jumping solo that evokes memories of the Christian beat, but my principal recollection of this particular Tunisian night will always be the fabulous solo break with which Kenny darts out of the interlude and into the second chorus.

Kenny announces his own solo number, Autumn In New York, one of his most eloquent and tasteful ballad performances. Then Hill's Edge, for which Kenny reversed his drummer's name to produce a title, offers a particularly apt vehicle for the work of J.R., who starts out easy and cool but later builds up an extraordinary level of tension, partly with the use of trills and a variety of very personal devices. Guitar and piano are heard at length, as well as the leader, and inevitably, Arther jumps over the hill's edge in time to grab some solo space before time is up.

Ye Gods, is the session over already? Clearly time flies too fast around the Bohemia, especially when Mr. Dorham and his cohorts are on the stand. Pardon me while I reset the stylus - if it's all right with you, I'd like to take it from the top.

-LEONARD FEATHER

Photo by FRANCIS WOLFF
Cover Design by REID K. MILES
Recording by RUDY VAN GELDER

RVG CD Reissue Liner Notes

KENNY DORHAM THE COMPLETE 'ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT AT THE CAFÉ BOHEMIA

In retrospect, 1956 was one of the busier years in the career of trumpeter Kenny Dorham. He had left the Jazz Messengers at the close of 1955, and soon found himself in several interesting ensembles: The Birdland Stars (where he shared the front line with Conte Candoli, Phil Woods and Al Cohn), a Tadd Dameron band (he plays gorgeous lead on the debut recording of Dameron's "Fontainebleau"), and studio dates led by Woods, Cecil Payne, Matthew Gee, Hank Mobley and Gil Mellé. In August Dorham launched a productive recording relationship with alto saxophonist Ernie Henry on Riverside, and a month later had embarked upon what would become nearly a two-year stint and several EmArcy recordings with Max Roach, where he was initially paired with Sonny Rollins.

Yet Dorham probably considered 1956 a disappointment, because he failed to sustain the wonderful band heard on these performances. He was no doubt hoping to reap some of the popularity of his former affiliation when he dubbed the unit the Jazz Prophets, but it didn't happen. (Others had the same idea — see the Savoy album The Jazz Message, led by Kenny Clarke and including Dorham's Messengers replacement Donald Byrd and former Messengers partner Horace Silver.) The Prophets produced only two issued recordings in a space of less than two months, a studio session for ABC-Paramount on April 4 and a single disc of titles that Blue Note selected from among the present collection. A second ABC volume was recorded on July 19, but the tapes were never released and subsequently disappeared.

Part of Dorham's problem may have been the unfamiliarity of his sidemen, who (with the exception of drummer Arthur Edgehill) would be recognized today as an all-star unit. This was simply a matter of Dorham selflessly giving early breaks to promising young talents, as he would do later for Cedar Walton, Steve Kuhn, Butch Warren, and most famously Joe Henderson. Dorham was clearly out front in his appreciation of bassist Sam Jones and pianist Bobby Timmons, who would work together in Cannonball Adderley's breakthrough quintet more than three years later, and he was also among the first in New York to feature guitarist Kenny Burrell, who was added to the Prophets as a special guest on this occasion.

Tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose had already cut several recordings as a sideman, and was just coming off a period with the edition of the Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop that recorded "Pithecanthropus Erectus," but he considered his time with the Prophets critical to his personal development. In 1968, Monterose told British critic Mark Gardner that Dorham was "A wonderful musician. He's a very vital person...and he has a lot of warmth, and all the time I was with him I listened to every note he played...I had many, many very rewarding experiences...with Kenny, and I was sorry to see the association end when it did; but it was just the economic situation, as it usually is."

Alfred Lion and Rudy Van Gelder performed an invaluable service when they returned with audio equipment to the Café Bohemia, where they had recorded Dorham with the Messengers six months earlier. In a single night they documented four complete sets of music, which are presented here in performance order for the first time.

The evening began, minus Burrell, with what has been designated as the alternate take of "K.D. 's Blues" (neither version appeared on the original LP), a sly medium theme with the rhythm section in two and commentary from Timmons. Tenor sax is heard first, strolling for a chorus before Timmons enters with active, propulsive comping and some favorite chord substitutions during the final two tenor choruses. Monterose builds nicely, as does Dorham after dropping the tension at the start of his trumpet solo; his phrasing makes the most straightforward sequence of quarter notes swing hard. There are hints of the soul to in Timmons's solo, which includes his sanctified version of block chords, and Jones displays his strong sense of time over background figures from the horns.

Dorham announces "Autumn in New York," one of the great pop ballads heard here in one of the finest jazz renditions, The bittersweet glow of the Dorham trumpet is perfect for capturing the feeling of "dreamers with empty hands" described in Vernon Duke's lyrics, a mood further enhanced by the high level of melodic invention in this two-chorus gem.

"Monaco" was recorded by the Jazz Prophets on the band's ABC-Paramount album in April. At that time, the Dorham composition had a different title, "Tahitian Suite," and a significantly different arrangement in which the slower opening sections was extended and played over a 6/8 pattern that anticipates Horace Silver's "Senor Blues." At the Bohemia, the band moves more quickly into straight-ahead tempo. Dorham's solo is less dynamic on this alternate take than on the master from set three; but Monterose excels in a lengthy spot, and Timmons gets a chance to blow on the beautiful changes.

"N.Y. Theme," credited to Dorham, is the familiar Messengers/Miles Davis sign-off on "Rhythm" changes, with the same written bridge that the Jazz Messengers had employed at the Bohemia six months earlier. Worth noting among the uniformly inspired solos is Monterose's spot, which has touches that recall Charlie Rouse and much of J.R.'s own thing as well as his widely advertised debt to Sonny Rollins, Edgehill also urfaces briefly, for a half-chorus of fours with the horns.

Kenny Burrell joined the Prophets on the evening's second set, Which begins with another version of "K,D.'s Blues" This time Timmons is right with Monterose when the tenor solo commences, adding the kind of extended commentary one expected from such premier composers as John Lewis or Horace Silver Monterose himself is limber but intelligent, mixing short phrases with longer lines. Burrell shows that he already possessed his timeless sound and deep affinity for the blues. Dorham strolls incisively for two choruses, and puts a different spin on boppish fluency with his crackling sound, while Timmons shortens his statement (a result, no doubt of Burrell's added presence). Jones, whose walking lines have been superb to this point, then blows with some goading from the band.

"'Hill's Edge" presents some new ensemble material before revealing itself as the familiar "Tune Up." This Eddie Vinson classic mistakenly attributed to Miles Davis was also a regular part of the Davis quintet book at the time. Once again, the performance is strategically enhanced by the presence and absence of piano behind the other soloists. Monterose seems ready to levitate into avant-garde realms near the close of his solo, while Burrell shows the greatest poise at this brisk tempo. As the composition's title indicates, there is also room for Edgehill's drums before the opening is recapitulated.

The treatment of "A Night In Tunisia" is fairly standard, with Dorham spraying arpeggios at the break, then pulling back for some of his more lyrical notions. The secondary interlude that composer Dizzy Gillespie used on his 1946 RCA version with Don Byas is retained here to set up Monterose's choruses, which display an attractive swagger early on before raising the emotional heat. Burrell's virtuosic path through the changes evokes a kicking riff behind the final guitar chorus, while Timmons gets a different background figure at the start of. his improvisation. Edgehill also takes a chorus before raising desert images with stick patterns that announce the brief return of the theme and Dorham's playful coda.

"Who Cares?" is another title for which two takes exist, neither of which was included in the original LP. The version from the second set has been designated the alternate take, and is shorter than its mate. Dorham (who is clearly drawn to the good changes provided by composer George Gershwin, especially during his second turn) and Timmons are the soloists, as Burrell and Monterose lay out.

Dorham had a lengthy history with the blues line "Royal Roost." He cut the original version (aka "Rue Chaptal with Kenny Clarke in 1946, and revisited it on the Jazz Messengers' Bohemia session, where it was called "Sportin' Crowd." (Most listeners today think of the melody as "Tenor Madness.") The trumpet solo is excellent, with some soulful bent notes, and Monterose is at his most agile over the cooking rhythm section. Edgehill has lit one of his strongest grooves of the evening by the time Burrell enters, and the guitar proceeds to ride on the drummer's inspired ride-cymbal beat. Trumpet and tenor converse after the piano solo.

Set three is kicked off (literally, as you can hear) with the master take of "Mexico City," a very thinly disguised version of Bud Powell's "Tempus Fugit" with an added interlude before the solos commence. The minor tonality brings out Dorham's soulful side, even at this brisk tempo, and his two statements (each of which strolls at various points) are the highlights of a track where Monterose, Burrell and Timmons also solo well.

The title track is another tune that was also heard when the Miles Davis Quintet made one of its visits to the Bohemia. Dorham employs the introduction as originally formulated by Dizzy Gillespie, whose coda also became a standard feature of Thelonious Monk's ballad. Monterose blows warmly around Dorham's lead, then takes over at the first bridge. His method of easing into and out of faster passages was highly compatible with Dorham's. The trumpeter then plays a riveting full chorus featuring that heartbreaking sound, and Tlrnmons is also heard from. (Burrell lays out on this track.)

The master take of "Monaco" presents the theme more effectively, and also includes a Burrell solo after Dorham's bountiful choruses and a jaunty rejoinder by Monterose. This track is the best on the entire collection for representing Dorham's parallel skills as soloist and composer.

This '"Who Cares?" is more spirited, and finds Dorham weaving the theme in and out of his improvisation in the manner of his friend Sonny Rollins. Timmons hues to a boppish course, minus the soul touches heard elsewhere, and is followed by a single chorus from Burrell before Dorham returns.

"My Heart Stood Still" also suits the trumpeter, who takes it at a most comfortable tempo. The rhythm section adopts an old-timey, even quarter-note attack behind the first Dorham chorus, then smoothes the feeling out. Monterose's clipped articulation puts another spin on the groove, and two extremely inventive Burrell choruses precede Dorham's strolling return.

For the final set opener, Dorham returns to the blues, employing a repetitive melodic line aptly dubbed "Riffin'." Burrell, who displays a marvelous sense of pacing, excelled then and now on the blues. Dorham gives the impression of being able to go on forever, very loose yet thoughtful, with nods to Gillespie at the head of several of his later choruses. Monterose also sounds affirmative and comfortable, although the theme returns while he is ready to continue.

The alternate take of "Mexico City" was initially released on Burrell's second Blue Note album, and finds the guitarist stretching out in a display of his sustained lucidity. Dorham is the other featured soloist, and delivers ideas far different than those heard in set three.

For their finale, the Jazz Prophets play "The Prophet," a Dorham original that seems to mix chord changes from "Tlckle Toe" and "All God's Children Got Rhythm." The tune also appeared on the band's ABC album, where it received an even more extended workout. Dorham teases us with a single solo chorus before Burrell, Monterose and Timmons blow at greater length. Monterose handles the exchanges with Edgehill as a prelude to a second round of solos from Burrell and Dorham, This is another well-formed Dorham melody, enhanced by the simple yet telling details of the arrangement. Like the man who wrote it and the band he led at the Cafe Bohemia, it deserved a wider hearing.

— Bob Blumenthal, 2001