It's only fitting that
Chuck Folds record a tribute to the late trumpeter, singer, and gentleman
Doc Cheatham, who he first worked with in 1972 and continued to work with while playing a regular Sunday gig at Sweet Basil for 17 years until Cheatham's sudden death from a stroke in 1997. No one can replace Doc of course, so there are no friendly vocals with crisp diction, and veteran trumpeters Spanky Davis and Irvin Stokes aren't even featured on every song, as Folds chooses to reminisce alone at the keyboard on "A Kiss to Build a Dream On," "Sweet Lorraine," and several other tracks. Davis and Stokes work well together to capture the late trumpeter's cheerful spirit, especially on the brisk "My Buddy" and foot tapping "Someday You'll Be Sorry." The seasoned rhythm team includes Frank Tae on bass and Jackie Williams on drums. Doc must be smiling as he hears this music in between the great jam sessions in the sky. ~ Ken Dryden