Cyril
Edwin "Eddie"
Strevens was born in
London in 1924. As a
child he studied the
violin at the Guildhall
School of Music, winning
a scholarship to the
Royal Academy of Music.
During
the war, Eddie served in
the Duke of Cornwall's
Light Infantry and as it
was no secret that he was
a brilliant jazz
violinist, he was often
asked to play at camp
concerts. His musical
ability soon came to the
notice of the bandmaster
of the regiments
military band who was
anxious to make use of
his skills. The only
problem was that the 'hot
fiddle' is not
traditionally associated
with the military band,
so Eddie was given a
saxophone and told to
learn how to play it!
This he quickly did and
joined the band.
Back
in civilian life, he
continued to play the
saxophone, although his
first love was still the
violin. He played in the
bands of Ronnie Munro,
Harry Parry and Roy Fox,
but his longest
association was with the
orchestra of Geraldo, for
whom he had a high
regard.
It
was in 1956 that Eddie
Strevens formed his own
band, and passed a BBC
audition. In 1959, he
made the first of 89
appearances in 'Music
While You Work',
playing both violin and
saxophone, supported by
accordion, piano, bass
and drums. Initially, he
also included a guitar
but he soon dispensed
with this on broadcasts.
Eddie
Strevens and his Quartet
played regularly in 'Morning
Music',
'Breakfast Special', 'The
Sam Costa Show', 'Music
Through Midnight' and
many other programmes.
Eddie Strevens also
enjoyed some success as a
composer with titles such
as 'Easy Come, Easy Go',
'Playtime for Poodles'
and 'Getting With It'.
Although,
in common with so many
combinations, Eddie
Strevens and his Quartet
ceased to broadcast in
the late sixties, he
continued to fulfil
public engagements for
many years. He fronted a
group on P&O
transatlantic cruises and
played for cabaret,
variety shows and dances.
In 1978, he made a
long-playing record on
the Halcyon label which
featured his skills on
the violin throughout.
Eddie
Strevens died in 2001.
Listen
to 'Music While You Work'
played by Eddie Strevens
and his Quartet
as broadcast on the BBC
Light Programme at
10.31am on 13th June
1963.
MUSIC
WHILE YOU WORK
Played by Eddie Strevens
and bis Quartet
at 10.31 a.m. on 13th
June 1963
Calling
All Workers (Sig)
Elizabeth
Pardon me Pretty Baby
The King's horses
Hey Neighbour
The Pied Piper
The Lonesome Ranger
The Mulberry Bush
In Fashion
Loo be Loo
The Night has a Thousand
Eyes
The Little Lobster
If I had You
'A' You're Adorable
Beginning to see the
Light
My Love and Devotion
Toy Town Trumpeters
Bracken Brew
Playtime for Poodles
Moonlight and Roses
Love is the Sweetest
Thing
The Song is Ended
Calling All Workers (Sig)
|
Coates
Katacher
Ross
Noel Gay
Ross Parker
Steve Race
Cecil Norman
Turner
Evans
Farley
Weisman
Rico
Ted Shapiro
Wise
Duke Ellington
Carson
William Davies
Martin
Eddie Strevens
Moret
Ray Noble
Irving Berlin
Coates |
Listen
to 'Music While You Work'
played by Eddie Strevens
and his Quartet
as broadcast at 10.31am
on 2nd December 1965.
MUSIC
WHILE YOU WORK
Played by Eddie Strevens
and bis Quartet
at 10.31 a.m. on 2nd
December 1965
Calling
All Workers (Sig)
Little White Lies
Diga Diga Doo
Rosetta
Yesterday
Whistle and Flute
Getting With It
I Left My Heart in San
Francisco
Eros
Medley:
. Close Your
Eyes
. A Nightingale Sang in
Berkeley Square
. Tonight's the Night
I'll Be Around
Let's Kick
Soulsville
Going To Town
Medley:
. Be Careful
It's My Heart
. I've Got the Sun in the
Morning
. I've Got My Love To
Keep Me Warm
Calling All Workers (Sig)
|
Coates
Donaldson
Fields/McHugh
Hines/Woods
Lennon/McCartney
Woods
Strevens
Cross/Cory
Deane
Pethers
Maschwitz
Primo/Secton
Wilder
Moorhouse/Mansfield
Richardson
Heath
Berlin
Coates |
|