This trumpet was made by Severinsen-Akright in Oakland, California in 1994. It is a B-flat trumpet, 54 Bel Canto model, serial #0601, made of brass with 3 piston valves. This trumpet was given to American trumpeter Doc Cheatham for his 90th birthday from Doc Severinsen, Dick Akright, and Donald Byrd in 1994. This trumpet is engraved:
HAPPY 89TH BIRTHDAY DOC CHEATAM from DOC SEVERINSEN DICK AKRIGHT DONALD BYRD JUNE 13th, 1994
and
SEVERINSEN-AKRIGHT MODEL 54 Bel Canto 564-14th St. OAKLAND, CA 94612
Adolphus Anthony “Doc” Cheatham (1905-1997), first learned to play saxophone as well as trumpet. Early in his career, Cheatham performed with the African American Vaudeville theater in Nashville. Around 1924, Cheatham moved to Chicago where he heard trumpeters King Oliver and Louis Armstrong, both would have a lifelong influence on Cheatham’s playing.
Cheatham performed with several jazz musicians including Benny Carter, Fletcher Henderson, and Benny Goodman throughout the 1930s to the 1960s. In the 1970s, Cheatham worked to improve his playing by recording and listening to himself. After the age of 70, Cheatham’s self-assessment work would result in him receiving his best acclamations and critical reviews.
This clarinet was made by Henri Selmer in Paris, France around 1957 to 1958. It is a Boehm System clarinet in B-flay, “Centered Tone” model, serial #Q9851, made of grenadilla with silver keys and rings. This clarinet is stamped:
DEPOSE HENRI SELMER FRANCE Centered Tone
Cuban-born jazz clarinetist, Paquito D’Rivera acquired this clarinet in the late 1950s and continued to use it until he donated the clarinet to the museum in 2005. D-Rivera has received several awards and honors, including twelve Grammys, NEA Jazz Masters, Kennedy Center Living Jazz Legend award, and a National Medal of the Arts in 2005.