Kenny Dorham Question

[Dan Gould]

I'm transferring a Kenny Dorham radio broadcast from the Half Note in NYC, from reel to CD, and I noticed that the DJ called him "Kenny Dur-ham". I always thought it was Kenny "Door-ham".

Can someone set me straight?

Thanks!

[Dmitry]

Symphony Sid had one too many that night.

[Chuck Nessa]

In reality, the "h" was/is silent. Don't count on Bu for pronunciations either.

[Dan Gould]

You're right, but the question is, is the first syllable with a UR sound or a OR sound? That's the odd pronunciation I heard (and it wasn't Symphony Sid

[Joe Carter]

What? I'm sorry. I can't concentrate. I'm distractyed by your avatar.

[mikeweil]

What? I'm sorry. I can't concentrate. I'm distracted by your avatar.

No, it just lures out the dirty thoughts hidden deep down in the attics of your mind ....

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I suppose when you come right down to it, is it "Kenny" or "Kinney"? He was listed as "Kinney" early on and I thought I heard it spoken that way on one record or another.

Later,

Kevin

BTW, the reason it could be "Kinney" is because he was born McKinley Howard Dorham". I suppose McKinley could be shortened to "Kinney" or "Kenny".

Edited July 6, 2004 by Kevin Bresnahan

[BruceH]

I always thought it was an "OR" sound, Kenny DORE-UM, but I'm wrong on pronunciation 50% of the time.

[Dan Gould]

I always thought it was an "OR" sound, Kenny DORE-UM, but I'm wrong on pronunciation 50% of the time.

Well the DJ was Alan Grant, I think, and he must have been right up stage with him, because at one point he said, "and the next tune is going to be?" and Kenny answered him, slightly off mic.

So, if he was right up there, why wouldn't he correct him on the pronunciation when he said, "DUR-am"?

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Because correcting your "host" on a public bandstand, let alone a public broadcast, might be considered less than tactful? Don't know if racial considerations would come into play, but certainly personality would.

Mike

[Dan Gould]

Perhaps correcting your host might be ungracious.

But Grant was a pro, right? Wouldn't he get the name right?

Can anyone say definitively that it was DOR-am and not DUR-am?

[desertblues]

And as a sideman on Herb Geller's "Fire In The West" lp on Jubilee he is listed as "Kinny Durham" (no "e", just Kinny)!

[jazzbo]

Man, I'm sitting here trying to remember how Michael Cuscuna pronounced his name when I was interviewing him, I'm pretty sure it was "Doorham" as in revovling door. . .

[Dan Gould]

Well, I just moved onto another live KD show, this one a couple of years later, don't know who the MC was, but he clearly introduces him as "KD, Kenny DUR-am".

So, I think we have our answer.

We've all been pronouncing his name wrong!!!!

[BruceH]

I like to refer to him as "The Uncrowned King."

[Chrome]

BTW, the reason it could be "Kinney" is because he was born McKinley Howard Dorham".

From the "bizarre coincidence" file, Muddy Waters' real name was McKinley Morganfield ...