GENE ADAMS...............PAUL (TED) ALLEN...............BILL BENSON...............JOE BRUNO...............BILL CADY...............PAUL DRISCOLL...............GEORGE GROM...............A.J. GUSTAFSON...............FRED HASKELL...............RICH HILL...............GORDON KRAFT...............BOB MCLAWHORN...............FRANK PISHIONERI...............PHIL RUSSELL...............KEN SAMPSON...............ERIK SCHRADER...............JACK SKURDAHL...............BOB SHESLER

 

 

Standing-left to right: Chief Gustafson, our leader - Bob McLawhorn - Bob Shesler - Gene Adams - Erik Schrader - Bill Benson - Ken Sampson - George Grom - Bill Cady -Sitting-left to right: Jack Skurdahl - Ted Allen - Joe Bruno - Paul Driscoll - Frank Pishioneri - Gordon Kraft - Rich Hill - Missing: Phil Russell - Fred Haskell

Unit Band 175 performed in three basic units - the concert band - the ceremonial band - the big band jazz.  When at sea the band put on concert band and big band jazz performances on a regular, daily basis, mostly on the fan tail and occasionally in the mess hall.  The ceremonial band performed when dignitaries came aboard or other ships came along side to give us fuel, supplies, mail, etc. and always when entering and leaving ports.  In many ports o' call, the big band would play at club and USO dances from Norfolk to Guantanamo Bay to Panama to Long Beach to Pearl Harbor to Yokosuka & Sasebo, Japan.  In addition, there was a fourth informal unit called the Combo, which performed jam sessions in Progressive jazz and Dixieland jazz. 

Band members also had duty as loaders on 40mm gun guads during Battle Station firefights and as projectile loaders on 5 inch gun mounts during bombardment and as condition watches on other parts of the ship.  In fact, each of us had a pair of dress whites and dress blues and sparkling black shoes on stand by because we never knew when we would be called to play in the Ceremonial Band when dignitaries came on board.  Sometimes this would happen on our bombardment watch.  The phone would ring in the turret and a voice would say "band duty in 15 minutes", the ship would cease firing, move out of enemy shore battery range.  The choppers would fly in with Generals and Admirals for briefings with Vice Admiral Martin and the ship's Skipper - Captain Tyree and later Captain McCorkle.  The Band and the Ceremonial Marines would perform as the parties came aboard and standby to perform again when the parties left the ship.  Then the ship would move back into bombardment position.  After changing back to dungarees we would go back to our assigned duty watches or turrets and begin the projectile loading process.  We were dedicated musicians ready to play whenever called upon and we were also dedicated to our military duties in the combat area.

Click on these links to hear a sample recording of the Jersey Cats.  The sound is a bit scratchy and rough in places because it was originally made on an aluminum substrate with thin plastic top and over the years it badly deteriorated.  In the original recording only one mike was used. It was recently transferred to a cd and substantially upgraded but some of the flaws could not be corrected.  Nevertheless, if you listen carefully you will hear some of the fine sounds of this very good band.

Stompin' At The Savoy - Track01.mp3

Bell Bottom Trousers - Track03.mp3

JERSEY CAT PICTURES

1950-1952

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Big band jazz on the fantail Sam leading the big band Big Band Sax Section

Rich taking clarinet lead on Rhapsody In Blue Flash taking a tenor sax ride Will Cady on drums

Ted on trumpet - Erik on bass Joe taking a ride - Paul on tenor sax Phil Russell on drums

Moose on trumpet solo SC taking a trombone ride
Sammy and his french horn

Super Combo - Will, Moose, Gene & Flash Flash taking a request in Panama Canal USO dance Cats big dance in Panama Canal area

Red, Irv & Flash singing up a storm Letters home time for Will, Rich & Boss Red & his famous corn cob pipe

Erik & Frank taking a breather on the 40mm quad Rich in full combat gear Phil in front of "Poison Charlie"

Cats & Jimmie Perino in Kamakura, Japan Moose taking some photos Boss & Rich fooling around on one of the stacks

 

    

Ceremonial band & Marines Boss in the ship's bow Sam with swinging combo

Combo - Bill, Gene, Flash, Antonio & Joe Sax trio - Flash, Frank & Boss Joe taking a ride on Trumpet

Trombone section - SC - Gene -Mac Sax section - Rich, Flash, Frank, Boss, Paul Rich taking a ride on Barry Sax

Frank on lead Alto Sax Hugh crowd at Gatun Locks, Panama to hear the "Jersey Cats" Warming up for Concert Band

Cats play at Balboa, Panama USO club Bill Benson & his pipe Cats Big Band at Portsmouth 1952

Cats entertain at Happy Hour on the fantail

 Frank & SC on their 40 Quad Rich & Frank in Oahu, Hawaii

A familiar site - Bill Benson & his pipe - we called him "Benny" The Boys in Cuba - Moose, Stumpy, Boss, Rich & Russ Flash taking a cool ride on Tenor Sax

Gordon Kraft's sideline talent - the crew nicknamed us the Jersey Cats and Flash did his handiwork Boss, Driscoll & Bruno on 40 mm Quad after fire fight Our logo as it would appear on signs at dances in clubs etc.  See Panama Canal Photo

Some Comments about Key Players
Gene Adams: Gene was a great lead trombone in the Big Band and was very good at improvisation in the smaller combos.
Ted Allen: Always kidded because he played a Coronet instead of a Trumpet, he was one of the best classical players in the entire Navy music system.  We were lucky to have him in the Ship's Band.  After the New Jersey experience, he went on to become The United States Navy Band's premier Coronet soloist for the next 16 years.
Joe Bruno: The Nose could do it all.  He could play lead trumpet, ride trumpet; was very good in the concert band.  He had a musical instinct that few possessed.  He was an outstanding Dixieland jazz trumpeter and still is at age 72. 
Will Cady:  Fantastic drummer.  Will came aboard the Big J for the first time in Japan and immediately made an impact on the Big Band as a driving drummer that made the Cats competitive in the Fleet Battle of the Bands.
Gordon Kraft:  Flash was one of the finest "ride" Tenor Sax guys in the business.  He was great in the Big Band and just as adept in the swing combos.  His tenor sound was Stan Getz like.
Red Haskell:  Red was a fine Be-Bopper, progressive jazz trumpeter.  He could also play lead trumpet and ride trumpet.  He and Joe were always competing on interpretation.
Frank Pishioneri:  Outstanding concert clarinetist and a great lead alto of the sax section in the Big Band.  His interpretive reads on charts made us a great sax section.  Speaking as a sectional guy you could really groove off of Frank's interpretation.
Ken Sampson:  Our Big Band leader, pianist and arranger, Sammy could do it all.  He was the driving inspiration behind our success.  He would rearrange many charts to take advantage of individual talents in the band.  He also played French Horn in the concert band.
Erik Schrader:  Our bassist in the Big Band, Erik was really at home on the tuba in the concert band and later proved his worth by becoming the principal Tuba player for the United States Navy Band for the next 16 years.  He was an outstanding technician on the tuba.
Chief Gustafson:  Gus was our overall leader, conductor of the concert and ceremonial band.  He was a stickler for perfection and that was probably what made us so good.  He was soon promoted to Warrant Officer and sent to the Navy School of Music as an Instructor.  Not many Chief Musicians make the grade to Warrant Officer.

Some Interesting Stories

  • Ted Allen, Rich Hill & Erik Schrader were all selected to the Michigan All-State Band in 1948 and performed at Interlochen National Music Camp & at Hill Auditorium on the campus of the University of Michigan.

  • Bill Benson was a Naval Reservist when the Korean War broke out and was assigned to Unit Band 175.  He was a WWII Veteran.

  • Rich Hill was selected as Drum Major for the Navy's Drum & Bugle Corps at Great Lakes Naval Training Center prior to attending the Navy School of Music.  He had been a Drum Major in High School in Michigan.

  • Bill Benson's step granddaughter is a Senior Music Major at Boston University and, of course, plays French Horn.

  • Frank Pishioneri has been playing keyboard at a nearby Nursing Home every Wed morning for the past 11 years and says "as long as my music & antics put a smile their faces I keep going back".

  • George Grom plays clarinet in a community band in Connecticut and recently had the honor of playing at Carnegie Hall in New York City.