BNJ-61003

Kenny Dorham - 'Round About Midnight At The Café Bohemia Volume 2

Released - June 21,1984

Recording and Session Information

"Café 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.8 K.D.'s Blues
tk.12 Royal Roost

"Café Bohemia", NYC, 3rd set, May 31, 1956
Kenny Dorham, trumpet; J.R. Monterose, tenor sax #2; Bobby Timmons, piano; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Sam Jones, bass; Arthur Edgehill, drums.

tk.17 Who Cares (alternate take)
tk.18 My Heart Stood Still

"Café Bohemia", NYC, 4th 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.21 Mexico City (alternate take)
tk.22 The Prophet

See Also: BLP 1524 BNJ-61004

Track Listing

Side One
Title	Author	Recording Date
K.D.'s Blues	Kenny Dorham	May 31 1956
Who Cares	Gershwin	May 31 1956
Mexico City (Alternate Master)	Kenny Dorham	May 31 1956
Side Two
Royal Roost	Clarke-Dorham	May 31 1956
My Heart Stood Still	Rodgers-Hart	May 31 1956
The Prophet	Kenny Dorham	May 31 1956

Liner Notes

Kenny Dorham was always the maverick that his Texas background would indicate. When he came to New York in the mid forties, he was already a personal trumpeter and an expert arranger and composer. Although he left New York and music for a few years in the early fifties, his old friend Art Blakey encouraged his return. By early 1955 these two men with Horace Silver, Hank Mobley and Doug Watkins were making jazz history as the standard bearers of hard bop, The Jazz Messengers.

The ever restless KD left the co-operative organization in December; his replacement was Donald Byrd. Fortunately he had been captured with the Messengers a months earlier on one long night at Café Bohemia (BLP 1507 + BLP 1508). In 1956, he organized the first working ensemble under his own direction. Ironically that group would also record at Café Bohemia.

The first volume of that night appeared as 'Round About Midnight At The Café Bohemia (BLP 1524. Now at last these two volumes, which include the alternate take of Mexico City that appeared on Kenny Burrell's second album (BLP 1543), bring to light the rest of the previously unissued, releasable material from that live recording.

The other principal in The Jazz Prophets was tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose, also represented by his own Blue Note album, BLP 1536. An Emotional and though provoking player of resource and creativity, Monterose was very active on the mid fifties New York scene with such artists as Charles Mingus and George Wallington. After years of obscurity in Belgium he has returned to upstate New York and resumed performing and recording.

On the Jazz Prophet's first album, for ABC-Paramount records on April 4th, the pianist was Dick Katz. Here his replacement is the more suitable Bobby Timmons, who would later play a major playing and composing role in hard bop in the bands of Cannonball Adderley and Art Blakey. His drive and earthbound blues quality are already in strong evidence here.

Florida bassist Sam Jones was a player of rich tone and beautiful execution. He would eventually play again with Timmons in the Adderley quintet and with the pianist's occasion trio. Arthur Edgehill was among New York's steady, swinging drummers who were considered vital to the musicians, but unsung in public arenas.

Kenny Burrell was added to the group on this night only at the behest of Alfred Lion, who had just finished Kenny's second studio date for the label two days earlier. He is present for most of the tunes in the second, third and fourth sets.

The Jazz Prophets made another studio album for ABC-Paramount in July of 1956, but those tapes still remain unissued and lost. The hard economics of the jazz world made the survival of this fine ensemble very difficult. Finally soon after the death of Clifford Brown, KD disbanded and joined Max Roach's quintet.

Nonetheless, thanks to this one night in Greenwich Village, there is a motherlode of music by The Jazz Prophets that will live on. These two new volumes cover material from all four sets and include some alternate takes of very different quality and instrumentation.

VOLUME TWO
This record opens with a relaxed line, KD's Blues. Monterose is the first soloist and his ability to shape smooth, laid back lines that build with grace and forethought is really evident. Burrell, though if a different musical bent, is also a master at cooking quietly. KD steals the show with a bold, soulful, inventive solo. Timmons and Jones are given only brief spots, but they make the most of it.

The standard Who Cares, taken at a rather quick tempo, does not include Monterose. Dorham is the main voice here and he promptly dives headlong into a personal and unique, using his bop background in his stance, but calling upon a reservoir of fresh ideas. Timmons is especially sparkling and inspired on this take.

Mexico City, which is a close cousin to Tempus Fugit by Bud Powell, is a full blow feature for Kenny Burrell, who is unusually hot and swinging here. KD in excellent form is the only other soloist. The original version of BLP 1524 has the trumpet soloing first and includes all four soloists.

Royal Roost or Rue Chaptal is a Kenny Clarke-Kenny Dorham composition. Kenny played on Clarke's original 1946 version as well as the Jazz Messenger's version on BLP 1508 in 1955, at which time it was listed as Sportin' Crowd and credited to Hank Mobley. Sonny Rollins later recorded it on Tenor Madness and took credit. And a couple of years later, Dorham published it a Sportin' Crowd and took credit. The only sure thing is that the real credit must go to Clarke and KD. On this version, everyone gets to solo; J.R's work is especially fascinating in construction.

My Heart Stood Still is approached from a bright and relaxed viewpoint with Dorham, Monterose and Burrell soloing. Before the re-entry of the these, KD takes a very personal single chorus, backed only by bass and drums.

The Prophet was natually the band's theme song during its short life span. This is a perfect example of Dorham's very human and unique approach to the trumpet, a wonderfully typical and beautifully KD solo. He was neither a Miles Davis imitator not a faltering bopper; close listening to his solo here will reveal his own very special and deliberate identity.

VOLUME THREE
This record starts out with an loose all-blues side. The kick off is another version of KD's Blues, this time without guitar. Both horns come up with well conceived solos that build nicely. Timmons gets a larger space and therefore comes off with a far superior solo.

The spirit of Riffin' another previously unheard Dorham line, lies clearly in the forties when fast, on-the-edge blues were a staple. After a piano intro, the band jumps in with be-bop determination which carries through the solos.

This version of Who Cares has neither guitar nor sax. Dorham's two trumpet solos encase a piano solo. The approach is similar to the other take, but perhaps a bit less boppish.

Monaco, which the Jazz Prophets has earlier recorded for ABC as Tahitian Suite, does not include Burrell as the take on BLP 1524 does. KD's solo is more levelled off in dynamics but equally engaging. After Monterose, Timmons has an excellent, vibrant solo. Again the absence of guitar gives him more room to develop his statement.

N.Y. Theme is Dorham's variation of the often used Theme with a new bridge and several other changes. Again no guitar. KD is cookin' here. Monterose picks up the spirit and turns out a remarkably seamless, funky solo, followed in kind by Timmons and a round of four bar exchanges between the horns and the drums.

Fans have long speculated on the treasures from KD's very special Café Bohemia recording that might may be laying in Blue Note's vault. Here they are at last, a beautiful amplification of a wonderful, but sort-lived ensemble known as The Jazz Prophets.

-MICHAEL CUSCUNA