Sonny Dunham

Born Elmer Lewis Dunham in New England, this brass specialist moved toward warmer weather as his career progressed through the decades, winding up in Florida as a bandleader in the '60s. He had a sister named Louise Dunham who was a professional saxophonist, both siblings the products of a family that took music very seriously. The player who became known as Sonny Dunham was a valve trombonist at the age of seven, switched to slide trombone four years later, and as a young man began doubling on trumpet while a member of an orchestra led by Eric Tremaine. Bandleader Ben Bernie...