Buddy Rich started his band in December 1945 at the Terrace Ballroom in Newark and signed with Mercury...later, Red Rodney and Tony Scott were in the band...
( Black Beauty, White Heat: A Pictorial History of Classic Jazz 1920-1950 - p.325
by Frank Driggs and Harris Lawine - Wm.Morrow and Co. 1982)

The band which didn't get started until the Big band Era was nearing it's end, was an impressive one when I caught it during its first major enagement in january 1946. It sported a batch of excellent modern arrangements by Ed Finckel, Tadd Dameron, Turk Van Lake and Billy Moore Jr., and some fine sidemen in trombonists Earl Swope and Johnny Mandel, trumpeter Lou Oles and clarinetist Aaron Sachs (Tony Scott replaced sachs, fought with Buddy and left after four days).
(The Big Bands by George T.Simon - Mcmillan Co. 1967)