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The year 1954 was to bring some jazz music prominence to Germany: e.g. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Oscar Peterson, Illinois Jacquet, Coleman Hawkins and the big bands of Woody Herman and Count Basie. And it had already gotten off to a promising start. In January, twelve American musicians travel to Europe together. An "intimate" alternative to Jazz at the Philharmonic, without those sporty battles in the competition of soaring soloists. Tour Package Name: Jazz Club USA, named after a radio show of the same name by Leonard Feathers on Voice of America. Feather combined several jobs in the jazz business: he was a critic, moderator, publicist and editor, pianist, composer, producer and impresario, inspired by the desire to make jazz more accepted as an art form. With a sense of mission similar to that of JATP initiator Norman Granz, but less driven by business acumen, he sends his own mini-festival touring (and acting as stage announcer, too): a trio around singing pianist Beryl Booker, whose founding Feather co-initiated himself, one around the vibraphonist Red Norvo, the quartet of the clarinettist Buddy DeFranco and finally Billie Holiday. The only person she brought with her was her regular pianist, Carl Drinkard. It was initially unclear who should form the rhythm section, because three bass players and two drummers had refused to work with Lady Day from the outset. Her reasoning: she is difficult, unpredictable and her performance fluctuates too much. Finally, at the last moment, two were found willing to "take the risk": Red Mitchell and Elaine Leighton. However, it was already too late for any joint rehearsals.

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