Jack McVea will always be most famous for his big hit "Open the Door, Richard." Although associated with the R&B world due to that 1946 bestseller,
McVea was actually a swing stylist whose fairly mellow sound was a major contrast to the honking tenors of the time. He started out playing banjo as a youth (1925-27) before switching to alto.
McVea began playing professionally with his father (banjoist Satchel McVea), Dootise Williams' Harlem Dukes (1932), Charlie Echols (1934-35), Claude Kennedy, Edyth Turnham,
Cee Pee Johnson and
Eddie Barefield (1936).
McVea mostly gigged in the Los Angeles area until joining
Lionel Hampton in 1940 as a baritonist. He was with
Hamp for three years and played with Snub Mosley, but
McVea made a much stronger impression when he played on the first Jazz at the Philharmonic Concert. From 1944 on,
McVea led his own group most of the time. He appeared on a
Slim Gaillard record date in 1945 that included
Dizzy Gillespie and
Charlie Parker and was quite popular from 1946-48 after "Open the Door, Richard" became a novelty hit. In the 1950s
McVea had a lower profile, continuing to lead his own combo in the Los Angeles area and gigging with
Benny Carter in 1956.
McVea recorded as a leader for Rhythm, Melodisc, Apollo, Black & White and Exclusive from 1945-47 and for Combo and Ace from 1953-55. He also recorded a jazz album for 77 in 1962. From 1966 until the mid-1980s,
McVea led a Dixieland-oriented trio at Disneyland, playing clarinet exclusively. When the Disneyland job ended, he retired from music. Jack McVea died in Los Angeles on December 27, 2000. ~ Scott Yanow