** 1/2 DOC CHEATHAM & NICHOLAS PAYTON “Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton” Verve

Here’s a concept idea that actually works. Bringing together two trumpeters--91-year-old Cheatham and 23-year-old Payton--might seem a bit gimmicky, but the players make it seem like an act of inspiration.

It works because Cheatham is still a solid, often impressively dramatic player who also is an attractive singer. And Payton, despite his youth, seems to have a strikingly intuitive capacity to play in both mainstream and New Orleans style. Together, they make a team that, despite the generation gap, works with delightfully intuitive compatibility. The result is an album that manages to balance an appealing dose of nostalgia with some first-rate soloing and an irresistible sense of musical fun.

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