Ev Farey was born in Los Angeles,
California. He moved to the San Francisco bay area as a young teenager,
about the same time he got his first horn, and in time to attend high school
in San Francisco with other future bay area musicians. Joining the
service out of high school, Ev was stationed in England. Artie Shaw's
Band had played in London during the war, and with the war over, a replacement
band took Artie's gig - a one in which Ev played trumpet. And so
began his professional music career.
Ev returned to the bay area in
1950, with a beautiful English woman as his bride. He sold all his
horns and didn't play any music - until a couple of friends from high school
contacted him, asking him to join them in a band. Ev gave in, found
one horn - a cornet - that he'd managed not to sell, and in 1953 began
a regular Wednesday night gig at the Lark's Club in Berkeley. Their
band, Canal Street Jazz Band, was the first jazz band to play at the Lark's
Club.
Several musicians from Turk Murphy's
Band in San Francisco (including Turk's clarinet player, Bob Helm) heard
and were impressed by Ev's playing at the Lark's Club. As it happened,
Turk was looking for a cornet player to join the band on a three-month
tour of the United States for Columbia Records, promoting Turk's newly
released album. Ev joined the band for the tour, and remained with
Turk Murphy's Band for a time after the tour. Ev's first recordings
in 1954, one with Turk's band, and the other with Helm's own band, The
Riverside Roustabouts, were made during this time.
Contacted by his high school
friends again - this time with the idea in mind to start a two trumpet
band, Ev became a co-leader of Bay City Jazz Band. Their regular
gig, Friday and Saturday nights at the Sail 'N in San Francisco, always
drew a full and enthusiastic crowd. The band continued playing occasionally
until 1969, then reformed as The New Bay City Jazz Band in 1976, in response
to an invitation to the Breda Jazz Festival in Holland.
Ev continued working with various
bands in the 1970s, returning to Breda with the Sunset Music Company, and
also working with Jim Maihack's Tappers and with Berkeley Rhythm.
Golden State Jazz Band had a regular gig at the Senator Hotel in Sacramento
when Ev joined them in 1977 - and within a year the leader, Bill Allred,
returned to Florida, and the band was left in Ev's hands.
In the fall of 1982, it was Port
City Jazz Band's good fortune to have Ev join them on trumpet and as musical
director. Aside from his beautiful trumpet playing - hot and sweet
- Ev is a world class arranger in the traditional jazz style. Recognizing
the talent, experience, and strength Ev brings to the band, Port City Jazz
Band paid tribute to him on their most recent CD cover, where you'll find
an early photo of a young Ev Farey on the microphone at the Sail 'N - and
yes, Ev is the legend.
When not working with Port City
Jazz Band, Ev free-lances on trumpet with various jazz and big bands. He
also buys, restores, and sells vintage radios in his business, Radio Activity.
Ev lives in San Anselmo, California,
with his bride of 52 years, Peg.
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 2003
EV FAREY
