Born in Los Angeles, California, his father was the noted
banjoist Satchel McVea, and banjo was Jack McVea's first
instrument. He played jazz in Los Angeles for several years, and joined
Lionel Hampton's orchestra in 1940. From 1944 on he mostly worked as a leader. He performed at the first
Jazz at the Philharmonic concert in 1944. Jack Mc Vea played at the famed Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at
Wrigley Field in Los Angeles produced by
Leon Hefflin Sr. on October 12, 1946.
Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra,
Slim Gaillard,
T-Bone Walker, The Honeydrippers, Madaline Green, Winnie Brown, Reathis Stevens, Joan Benson and
Louis Armstrong were all on the same program. McVea was leader of the
Black & White Records studio band and was responsible for coming up with the musical
riff for the words "
Open the Door, Richard".
Ralph Bass persuaded him to record it in 1946 and it became immensely popular, entering the national charts the following year, and was recorded by many other artists. From 1966 until his retirement in 1992, he led the Royal Street Bachelors, a group that played
Dixieland jazz in New Orleans Square at Disneyland. The trio consisted of McVea on clarinet, Herb Gordy on string bass, Harold Grant and later Ernie McLean on guitar and banjo. According to McVea, he was not much of a clarinetist but learned overnight to play three songs to secure the job. He is also known for his playing on
T-Bone Walker's "
Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad)". In 1945 he played tenor sax in a recording session for
Slim Gaillard with
Charlie Parker and
Dizzy Gillespie. McVea died at home in Los Angeles in 2000. ==Discography==