Personnel:
Red Kelly, Sammy Yates, Marshall Royal, Melba Liston, Crow Kahn, Lloyd Glenn, Gene Phillips, Irving Ashby, Frank Clarke
Reference: BMCD 6033
JACK McVEA is not a household name; he was a very important figure in the beginning of the Rhythm & Blues style. He played baritone saxophone in the Lionel Hampton Orchestra in 1942 when the band recorded "Flying Home", considered to be a foundation of '40s black music. He led one of the West Coast's earliest R&B combos and backed up important artists such as T-Bone Walker and Wynonie Harris. McVea's own "Open The Door, Richard!" created one of the biggest crazes ever to come out of black music in the pre-Rock'n'Roll era. He blew tenor sax alongside Illinois Jacquet at the first 'Jazz At The Philharmonic' in 1944, and he jammed and recorded with Slim Gaillard and Charlie Parker.
For the first time ever, the full body of Jack McVea's (and Rabon Tarrant's) recorded works from 1944 to 1952 are being re-issued on four CD volumes. The discography has been reworked especially for this release and 4 tracks could be added that weren't even known to exist before. The music is good humoured, carried out brilliantly and above all, heavily swinging.
