NEW RELEASES : In Brief
* * * * Doc Cheatham, “The 87 Years of Doc Cheatham,†Columbia. Trumpeter Cheatham, 88, whose career goes back to 1923, when he backed Bessie Smith in a Nashville theatre, is playing as well as ever. He’s lyrically unpretentious on Benny Carter’s “Blues in My Heart,†a muted waltz treatment of “Was It a Dream†and a warm reading of “ ‘Round Midnight.†As for his vocals, Cheatham’s charm lies halfway between true singing and recitative, whether he’s addressing himself to Miss Brown or Miss Jones (it’s a welcome change to hear “Miss Brown to You†sung by a male).
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