Jeannie Cheatham

Jimmy Cheatham was one of the coolest jazz cats in the industry. Having worked with many of the top jazz players such as Duke Ellington and Ornette Coleman, Jimmy brought the sounds of tradition jazz to film scores and television programs over several decades. Jimmy’s warm personality was only watched by the smooth sounds of his trombone. When teamed with his wife, the jazz and blues pianist Jeannie Cheatham, the tones were unmistakable, clear and often strikingly intimate.

Jeannie Cheatham played roots music before anyone was calling it that. She grew up on church music, and progressed to the blues in a time and place where black women were encouraged to express their emotions through music.  Jeannie was there when rhythm and blues became popular and played her own style in clubs and dances all around America. When she met Jimmy Cheatham their personal and musical lives forever became a part of each other. Jeannie’s autobiography “Meet Me with Your Black Drawers On: 
My Life in Music” was published in 2006 and tells of her incredible strength and va

Jim Trageser is a writer, journalist, and San Diego jazz historian whose appreciation for musicians and their stories has been a hallmark of his career. Growing up in Ohio, Jim took music lessons at an early age, playing cornet in the third grade before studying piano and, by fifth grade, guitar. While he realized that becoming a professional musician might not be his path, those early experiences gave him an enduring appreciation for the dedication, discipline, and artistry required to master an instrument.