CINCINNATI, OHIO


Going down I-71 South are our motorcycle gang, I mean jazz band, The White Angels. They were headed to Cincinnati, Ohio for their 1st stop on their 2000 tour @ Riverback Stadium. After checking in @ a hotel, Frank, Victoria, Eric & Tina, along with the Romans decided to visit downtown Cincinnati, while the others rested. "Isn't there an amusement park?" asked Scott. "Sure," quipped Liz, "If there was, you'll lose Dad's sheet music placed in a cylinder container & he'll end up with a Yogi Bear poster." "You watch too much Brady Bunch!" told Lou to the kids as they cried, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" The gang did a little shopping. Then when they visited a park, they saw a jazz band performing. It's The Cincinnati Summer Jazz High School All-Stars consisting of 18 young musicians: 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 4 saxes, piano, bass, vibes, drummer & 2 guitars. The 2 guitarists never played together. One would watch from behind as the other played. The drummer had a tympani & Eric was amazed he saw a black version of himself! Frank was amazed that leading the band's Jay Sherwin, former saxist who played with him in the horn section. When the show was over, Frank got reunited with Jay. "How are you?" asked Jay. "Cool!" "You got your own band & made it big!" said Jay, "My students would love to see you in concert. Meet one of my trumpet players, Zack. He's a big fan of yours." After meeting him, Frank told Jay, "Tell you what, have your students come to sound check & have Zack meet me in my dressing room @ 4:00." Eric got to meet his black clone, Kevin Smith. Kevin played the snare drum with brushes for Eric. Joe met Ryan & Homer, the twin guitarists. "Why don't you play a guitar solo?" asked Joe, but they told him he doesn't allow guitar soloes. When they walked back to the hotel, Joe told Frank that Jay's prejudice over guitarists. "Joe," Frank said, "Not all jazz bands can have every instrument solo. Maybe Jay feels guitars are only for rhythm. Let's go back to the hotel & rest." Hours later @ Riverback Stadium finds the roadies setting up for the White Angels/Matt & Phoebe concert. In a dressing room, we find Frank & Zack playing their trumpets. Zack watched his hero play a solo & then Frank watched Zack play a solo. Then they played together finishing the jam. "Man that was a cool jam!" said Zack asking, "How come you don't play trumpet more? You're the leader." "True," said Frank, "I like the other band members to shine. I'm only the leader because I discovered all the members. Were a family." "You should be in the spotlight." said Zack, "Ben & Fred take up much stage room in the band, Eric poisoned Kevin's mind, Bart should stick to sax & Joe should be dumped from the band. Man if I had a band, I wouldn't allow guitars. Like Mr. Sherwin says, guitar soloes are a waste in jazz band, it stinks!" Frank realized that Joe was right all along. "Zack, don't let him brainwash you. If it wasn't for Joe, my band would be a flop." Hours later, The Summer Jazz All-Stars were treated to sound check. First, they sang "Mike Check" checking out the headjack mikes they use when they sing. Eric had Kevin on stage to join him in jam session. Eric played tympani & Kevin played the drums. The band played a jam session tune to have the instruments sound right. Vicki played trumpet solo #1, Frank #2, Bart's sax solo, Ralph's organ solo, Ben's vibes solo, Joe's guitar solo, Fred's marimba solo, Bart's guitar solo, Jason's bass solo, Kevin's drum solo & Eric's tympani fanfare. Then Kevin got off the drums & played a tympani drum roll with Eric. "You're the coolest, Eric!" exclaimed Kevin. "I know." he gloated. The band was about to go until Joe said, "Hold it! Ryan, Homer, come up on stage!" The summer jazz guitarists came up & huddled with Joe. "Can you boys solo?" "Yeah." said Homer, "Ryan & I like to jam by ourselves." "Mr. Sherwin would never approve." said Ryan. "Can you both sing?" asked Joe. "No." They broke huddle. Ryan played Bart's guitar & Homer played Joe's guitar as Joe played Matt's red guitar to a swing beat. Joe soloed as the boys chunked. Then Joe said, "Go Ryan!" Ryan played his first ever public guitar solo as the others chunk. "Go Homer!" Homer played his first ever public guitar solo & was super. Mr. Sherwin came up & turned off the amps. He couldn't stand it! "My boys don't solo!" he angered, "You brainwashed them!" "You're still prejudice?" asked Frank, "Didn't you listen to them? What are you afraid of? Teenage girls screaming over them! These boys are great." "You're prejudice over Bart!" snapped Mr. Sherwin, "Why doesn't he get enough attention when he plays the guitar?" Bart said, "I respect Joe's guitar playing that I choose to be a rhythm guitarist. But Joe insists that I get to sing lead & play a couple of guitar soloes on a few songs. Joe's a very true friend & Frank's not prejudice. Check yourself." Mr. Sherwin realized his mistakes & would let Ryan & Homer solo. As they left, Joe encouraged Ryan & Homer to take singing lessons. Homer would. That night, the stadium's packed full of fans. Matt & Phoebe put on a great show. Near the end of their set, Joe Roman came out in his white tuxedo & guitar as fans went crazy. "Matt & I are gonna do our song from our Triple Pepperoni days." Matt & Joe did "Motorcycle Brothers." Thirty minutes later, The White Angels put on a concert for Cincinnati.


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