1958 · Album
This Is the Moment! Kenny Dorham Sings and Plays
Time Records · Produced by Information not verified
The Moment Dorham Finally Stepped Forward
A rare chance to hear one of jazz's most gifted trumpeters claim the spotlight he deserved.
This Is the Moment! arrives at a turning point in Kenny Dorham's career—not a debut, but something closer to a declaration. By this point, Dorham had spent years as the reliable player in other leaders' bands, the trumpeter who could play anything asked of him and play it brilliantly. Yet as writer Gary Giddins would later observe, Dorham's name became virtually synonymous with "underrated." This album suggests Dorham was ready to stop being the sideman and claim his own voice as both player and singer.
The session brings together Sam Jones on bass, Cedar Walton on piano, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and the rhythm section of Charlie Persip and G. T. Hogan on drums. It's a solid band, but they're clearly in service to Dorham's vision—his trumpet leads, his vocals anchor the emotional weight, and everything else follows. The music sits somewhere between bebop sharpness and a more relaxed, song-oriented approach. Dorham's playing has the precision you'd expect from someone who'd worked with everyone, but there's also warmth and directness here, less about proving something technically and more about saying something.
Whether this became the turning point Dorham needed is another question. The album didn't catapult him into the recognition his playing deserved, which makes it both a moment of genuine artistic confidence and, in hindsight, a reminder of how often jazz overlooked its most talented musicians. For listeners, it remains one of the clearer chances to hear Dorham on his own terms.
Who's playing
Sam Jonesbass
Cedar Waltonpiano
Kenny Dorhamtrumpet
Curtis Fullertrombone
Charlie Persipdrums
G. T. Hogandrums
Where next?
More by Kenny Dorham
All 31 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
