Home » Jazz Musicians » Doc Cheatham

Doc Cheatham

One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus "Doc" Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music's classic period; he participated in the big band movement that defined jazz in the 1930s; after the Second World War he affiliated himself with popular Latin dance orchestras on one hand and appeared with select, connoisseur-oriented small-group jazz combos on the other. As if defying time, his later recordings and performances were his best, and it was toward the end of his life that he allowed himself more often to step into the spotlight as a soloist.

Doc Cheatham was born in Nashville on June 13, 1905. Cheatham took up the cornet and soon after the trumpet as a teenager, taking lessons from two itinerant circus trumpeter brothers named Professor N. C. Davis and Professor C. M. Davis. He landed a job in the pit orchestra at Nashville's Bijou theatre, which played host to great performers of the black touring circuit of the 1920s such as Bessie Smith. He also played in a small band based at Nashville's historically black Meharry Medical College, acquiring the nickname "Doc" as a result.

His parents hoped that he would indeed become a doctor, but instead Cheatham headed for Chicago, a city that was just coming into its own as a jazz mecca when he arrived in 1925. Rubbing elbows with already-legendary trumpeters like Louis Armstrong, Freddie Keppard, and "King" Oliver, he took another crucial step forward musically when he learned to read musical notation. "I was in {pianist} Charlie Johnson's band only one night," he recalled in a Down Beat interview. I was fired that same night. . . .I couldn't read the show music. So that's when I got busy down there. I found a teacher, Viola something." In 1927 Cheatham made his first recording.

Cheatham moved to the East Coast in 1927 and did stints with several celebrated bands, including McKinney's Cotton Pickers. Stable employment came during an eight-year tenure with bandleader Cab Calloway, from 1932 to 1940. Cheatham had been recommended by jazz musician Benny Carter. Calloway's band, often performing at New York's renowned Cotton Club, was one of the most successful of the era.

Read more

Tags

2
Radio & Podcasts

Records and Record Dates: Part 1

Read "Records and Record Dates: Part 1" reviewed by Monk Rowe


One nighters, life on a bus and minimal salaries may seem worth it when jazz musicians finally find themselves in a recording studio. Doc Cheatham, Toshiko Akiyoshi, John Best and others speak about memorable records and recording sessions. ...

Read more articles

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Doc Cheatham's birthday today!

One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus “Doc" Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music's classic period; he participated in the big band movement that ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Doc Cheatham's birthday today!

One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus “Doc" Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music's classic period; he participated in the big band movement that ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Doc Cheatham's birthday today!

One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus “Doc" Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music's classic period; he participated in the big band movement that ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Doc Cheatham's birthday today!

One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus “Doc" Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music's classic period; he participated in the big band movement that ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Doc Cheatham's birthday today!

One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus “Doc" Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music\'s classic period; he participated in the big band movement that ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Doc Cheatham's birthday today!

One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus “Doc" Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music\'s classic period; he participated in the big band movement that ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Doc Cheatham's birthday today!

One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus “Doc" Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music\'s classic period; he participated in the big band movement that ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Doc Cheatham's birthday today!

One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus “Doc" Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music\'s classic period; he participated in the big band movement that ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Doc Cheatham's birthday today!

One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus “Doc" Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music\'s classic period; he participated in the big band movement that ...

1

Radio

This Week On Riverwalk Jazz: Doc Cheatham, Bob Haggart And Joe Williams

This Week On Riverwalk Jazz: Doc Cheatham, Bob Haggart And Joe Williams

Source: Don Mopsick

This week on Riverwalk Jazz: Doc Cheatham, Bob Haggart and Joe Williams share their music and stories with The Jim Cullum Jazz Band. The program is distributed in the US by Public Radio International, on Sirius/XM satellite radio and can be streamed on-demand from the Riverwalk Jazz website. You can also drop in on a continuous stream of shows at the Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound. Adophus “Doc” Cheatham (1905-1997) was a walking encyclopedia of jazz history. He rubbed shoulders ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Doc Cheatham &...

Heads Up International
1997

buy

Swingin' Down in New...

Jazzology Records
1995

buy

Swinging Down In New...

Heads Up International
1994

buy

Dear Doc …

Heads Up International
1992

buy

Mental Strain At...

Random Chance
1992

buy

Echoes Of Harlem

Heads Up International
1987

buy

Videos

Similar

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.