Evening star., 1948-01-20
After Dark
We Weren't Scared When the Man
Said, Hey! They're Out Front!
By HARRY MACARTHUR
By HARRY MACARTHUR

might want to take their picture.
They're out front"
"In their caboose?"
mo. They're In o truck and it's
cold. What shall I do with them?"
The man on the. city desk, being
polite and soft-spoken, did not say.
When he called us to complain, we
asked him what he really did do
about the Caboosers.
"Oh, had their picture made,
he said. 1--WE might need it some
day. You never can tell what might
happen to people who travel around
the country in a caboose. I think
you'd better find out what else they
do. though, as soon as possible"
As soon as possible turned out to
be last Thursday night, when the
Caboosers unveiled their musical
talents at the Rainbow Room Of the
Hamilton Hotel. What the Ca
boosers do other than travel around
the country In a caboose, which they
don't actually do, their press agent
admitted in an unguarded moment
Is travel around the country in q
station wagon. When not travel
ing or trying to get their picture
in the paper by getting out OF a ca
boose they entertain in a manner
that is-well, unrestrained.
What we're trying to do," their
press agent said above the loco
motive din of the Caboosers' theme
song, sis bring something entirely
new to Washington. With the doc
umentary evidence Of the Caboosers
in musical assault behind him, we
told the press agent he didn't have
to say another word.
The Caboosers are conducted by
an amiable, overalled man named
Deke Mofiltt, upon whom middle
age and plumpness are descending
easily, a man you never would sus-
pect Of all this. A man trying to
get away from the classical music
he earlier composed and the $50
ciety" dance music he used to play
couldn't 60 any further. though
without departing completely from
the musical profession.
The Caboosers divide their time
about equally between straight
dance music, done well, and vita
min-enriched corn, done loudly. In
their more raucous moments, they
don wild costumes, employ such
musical instruments as noise
makers, automobile horns, gongs
and a doorbell console, and sing "a
word used inadvisedly for want OF
a more descriptive one). There is
no denying that they are experts
and do well what they set out to
do. A man like George Anthiel
who once wrote a concerto for sew
eral airplane propellors, might even
interest them in classical music
again.
A man seeking a quiet evening
in a dark corner had better think
twice before submitting himself to
the Caboosers, though. We suspect
that their most enthusiastic ad-
mirers will turn out to be people
who find Spike Jones too subtle.
Opening Tonight: A new show
at the Club Cairo, starring Henny
Youngman, who has been known to
best Milton Berle in q gag-fest un-
til removed bodily from the micro
phone and whose name often il
misspelled SO that it comes out
Henry. Also on the new roster are
Sara Ann McCabe, the songstress;
Sis and Sonny Arthur, dancers, and
the Earl Lindsey Dancers.
Remember Where You Heard It
First Department: Music come by
In . normal manner, via the mails
from the publishers, Is not enough
to keep a band even with the pub
lie, any orchestra leader will tell
you. II he wants to play a hit
tune before the radio wears 1t out,
he has to snag it early.
One that sounds like future hit
has been snagged early by Barnee,
the Shoreham Blue Rooms maestro
It's called La Mer" (not the De-
busy one) and Paris is where II
is popular now. Barnee was brought
q copy Of the French sheet music
by q travelling general.
A whole raft OF music was brought
back to the Madrillon's Johnny
Robb the other eve by Trombonist
Marty Emerson, who combined a
trip to New York with raid on
music publishers. Came back with
close to 100 new tunes, Of which
he thinks Pennsylvania" due for
April release, a cinch for the hit
parade.
EDUCATIONAL.