From the S&S archives:Fans great, jazzmen on tour say

FRANKFURT, Jan. 27 (S&S) — Clarinetist Buddy De Franco called European audiences "the finest we've ever worked for" as Jazz Club U.S.A., a two-hour package of modern music, swung into the second week of its tour of Germany.

Interviewed after a performance here, other members of the cast echoed De Franco's judgment. Beryl Booker, who leads an all-girl trio, said crowds in Hamburg, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Cologne and Frankfurt were "wonderful." Red Norvo, the vibraphone man, chipped in with "great."

Singer Billie Holiday, a little overwhelmed by it all, said the tour is going so fast that "I can't tell."

Beryl Booker and her group opened the local show, warming up the audience with "Symphony" and "Take the A-Train." Miss Booker plays piano with Bonnie Wetzel on bass and Elaine Leighton on drums.

The Red Norvo Trio kept the cats jumping with his arrangements of "Move" and "Dancing on the Ceiling." Guitarist Jimmy Raney and bassist Red Mitchel complete the trio.

Next on the program, De Franco and his quartet kept things swinging with. "I'll Remember April," which features drummer Bobby White's 10-minute solo.

The fans went for Buddy in a big way. His fine tone and flawless technique won him honors as the Nation's top clarinetist in this year's Downbeat magazine poll. Pianist Sonny Clark and assist Eugene Wright team with White as the rhythm section.

The final attraction and star of the show, "Lady Day" Holiday, backed by pianist Karl Drinkard, sang "My Man," "Tenderly," "Billie's Blues," and others.

For the finale, Billie gave out with "Lover Come Back to Me," assisted by De Franco, Miss Booker, Norvo, Red Mitchell and Miss Leighton.

The show also played this week at Baumholder and Munich. The rest of the tour includes: Stuttgart, Jan. 28; Nurnberg, Jan. 29; The Hague, Jan, 31; Paris, Feb. 1; Geneva, Feb. 2; Zurich, Feb. 3, and Basel, Feb. 4.

On Feb. 6 the show leaves for England to tour military installations there.