Drum Boogie Unit 789

Abstract

One night in October 19451 was coming out of one of the clubs in 52nd Street and met a drummer named Herbie Cowans, who was known to most musicians as “Cat.” Herbie asked me if I would like to go to the Philippines and maybe Japan. I didn’t think that he was serious, but I told him yes and gave him my address. A few days later I received a message from Cat saying that the first rehearsal and general meeting would be on 12 October. When I arrived I saw my old friend Edgar “Spider” Courance, Ernest “Bass” Hill, Ben Smith the alto man, and a pianist I had never met, Eddie Allen. We were told by the assistant director of USO shows in New York that we would be getting $95 a week, which was the equivalent of the salary of a colonel at that time. We would receive this amount until we left for the road and then we would get only $25 per week and $70 would be put in a bank on an account. This was the best salary that I had ever made and we rehearsed for six weeks.