//------------------------------// // Boogie-Woogie // Story: Detour // by Jetset0099 //------------------------------// Thursday morning was overcast and rainy. The weather team had had a huge thunderstorm in the making for days, and now it was time for them to 'show off their work' so to speak. Mac and Jake walked through town, trying to get to Noteworthy's before the downpour began. He thought it would be a good opportunity to take up the musician's offer at a jam session in his music store. Jake had convinced Mac to come, even though he had lots of farm work to get done. The bell to the store's front door rang as the two stallions entered. The shop was average sized with a counter down the left wall with spare instrument parts and accessories under the glass counter, and guitars hanging behind it on the wall. Across on the far wall, there were brass and woodwind instruments ranging from the trumpet to the piccolo, and the far right wall was a huge collection of records for sale. The center of the store was an open floor with a band setup display containing a baby grand piano, drums, an upright bass, and a trumpet, trombone, and saxophone on stands in front. Noteworthy came out from the back room to greet them. "Hey you guys! It's been a while hasn't it?" He shook their hooves and continued. "I heard about your race Jake. That was quite an impressive show you put on for everypony." "Hehe, yeah I guess it was. Thanks." He walked over to the Bari sax that was sitting on the display stand in the center of the store and picked it up. "So I take it you two came to take me up on my little offer?" He blew a jazzy phrase then lowered it from his mouth. "Hop on an instrument and lets get crackin'." He turned to the red stallion. "You play anything Mac?" "Ah dabbled in bass a little bit in mah school years. But nothin' much." "That's good enough for me! Pick up that bass and have some fun. What is your weapon of choice Jake?" The pilot immediately walked over to the black piano and sat down. Noteworthy nodded, then turned back to the empty drum set. "I'm gonna get Jade out here. She's my assistant, and she plays drums." Noteworthy yelled to the back room for her, and after a couple seconds, a black mare with a white spiky mane came out to meet them. She had a dyed strand of red on her mane and tail, and wore spike bracelets on her front legs. She approached the trio and shook the two newcomers's hooves. "Noteworthy told me you guys might stop by sometime. Pleased to meet you. My name is Jade Sharp, drummer and singer extraordinaire. Well, somewhat extraordinaire. What's you're guys' names?" "I'm Jake Weston." "An' I'm Big Mac, ma'am." She laughed. "Just call me Jade. None of that ma'am stuff ya hear?" He nodded slowly. The drummer went over to her instrument of choice and sat down. She picked up the sticks and got ready. "Ok, what are we playing?" Noteworthy looked over to Jake. "Got anything that's easy to learn and fun to play?" He pondered for a moment before coming up with the perfect song. "Ok I got one. It's a classic where I come from called the Mess Around by Ray Charles. He was a blind pianist who became an instant legend." Jade Perked up at his description. "He was BLIND?" "Mhmm. But he was amazing at singing and playing the piano despite that. Anyways, the song is in the key of G, and it's a stride piano kind of thing like this." He started playing the riff of the song, and the other three started bobbing their heads to it. He stopped and instructed them. "Noteworthy, every time the lyrics pause, you give a little riff that goes like this." He played it on the piano, and the saxophonist nodded and repeated it perfectly. "Good. Ok Mac, all your doing is walking. Just up and down the changes in G. Can you do that." "Lemme think a minute." He fiddled with the fingerings before figuring it out, and walking perfectly in G. "Awesome. Jade, it's just a simple beat with the hi-hat on two and four. You shouldn't have any trouble. How about you sing too. You said you can." "Ok sure. Ill take a verse." After a couple more minutes of figuring out their parts, they were ready. Jake counted them off. "A one, a two, a one, two, three, four!" ------------------------------------- http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S1zKlKTLnqU ------------------------------------- Jake started playing the intro, then after four bars, Jade and Mac came in on cue. The pilot stared singing. "Well you can talk about the pit barbecue! The band was jumpin', the people to! Ahh mess around!" Noteworthy played a deep line on the Bari whenever Jake paused. "They doin' the mess around! They doin' the mess around. Everybody's doin' the mess around!" Mac was swaying the bass back and forth as he walked up and down the strings, and Jade, for being a rocker, was loving the new type of music. Jake came back in. "Now everybody was juiced you can, bet your soul! They did the boogie-woogie, with a steady roll! They mess around! They doin' the mess around. They doin' the mess around. Everybody's doin' the mess around!" Jake had written down lyrics and had given them to Jade so she could sing a verse. She had a voice that he compared to Tina Turner, a popular jazz singer from the 80's, and she wailed in a higher octave. "Well when ah say stop don't you, mooove a peg! When ah say go just, shake yo leg an' do the mess around! I declare! Do the mess around! They doin' the mess around! Everypony's doin' the mess around! Ok Jake you got it now! He came in with a trill on the piano, and started a twelve bar solo. Once he was finished, Noteworthy came in with a Bari sax solo. He leaned back as he approached the end, then Jake came in again, leaning forward and singing louder as the song progressed. "Well this band's gonna play from, nine to one! Everybody here's gonna, have some fun doin' the mess around." Mac got a little more confident, and spruced up his lines with some gliss notes. Jake began the final verse. "Well you see that girl with that, diamond ring? She knows how to, shake that thing! Mess around! I declare! Mess around! They're doin' the mess around. Everybody's doin' the mess around!" Jade hit the last two notes on the crash symbols, and Noteworthy held it while Jake soloed over the chord. They all came to a close, and Noteworthy began to laugh. "That was the most fun I've had in a long time here! It's usually pretty boring. Great job guys." Jade stood up and patted Mac on the back. "You can really play that thing Mac. I was impressed." "Ain't nothin' compared ta yer singin'." Noteworthy turned to her. "Yeah, about that Jade. I've never heard you sing like that before. Why the change?" She shrugged. "It just came to me I guess. I'm a rocker at heart. But this type of music isn't like that, so I just fit the style." "Well it was really good." "Thanks. You're singing wasn't that bad either Jake." "Eehh, it was ok. I'm not a vocalist really. I just play." "It was still good. Hey I know, let's play the Pegasus Freefall." Jake looked confused. "I assume it's a rock song?" "Yup." "I thought you guys didn't have rock and roll here." Mac looked over to him, while picking up an electric bass. "Ah guess we do. Ah just haven't ever heard none of it b'fore until yer welcome party." "Ah. I see. Well anyways, lets get going. What's the song like Jade?" They spent the next two hours playing songs at random and goofing off while the rain poured down over head. When they were about to leave, Noteworthy said his goodbyes and retreated to the back room to close up shop, leaving Jade alone with the two of them. "Thanks for coming guys. It was certainly an experience I won't forget." She turned to Mac, and handed him a little slip of paper. "What might this be?" She pawed at the ground before answering. "I-It's just some new bass models that are coming out incase your ever looking to purchase one in the future. You could go far with your talent Mac." "Why thank ya kindly Jade. I jes might do that when ah get the time." They said their goodbyes, and the two hastily made their way back to the farm through the rain. When they finally got back, they sat down at the kitchen table for a glass of cider. The paper Jade had given him was laying on the corner of the table, and Jake picked it up and unfolded it. Immediately, his blank face lit up, and he started laughing. Mac was confused. "What's so funny on that paper Jake? Lemme see." "Have you ever heard of a bass like that? I don't think I have!" He continued laughing as Mac eyed the paper. It wasn't bass models, it was a phone number. "Looks like you caught her eye buddy. Up top." He motioned for a high five, and Mac responded half way while still staring at the paper. "Sh-should ah call her?" The pilot held up his hooves. "Not yet. That'll make it look like you're crazy or desperate. Wait at least two days." "Ok, ah'll wait. Ya think y'all can help me out with this Jake. Ahm not to sure what to do." "Yeah, Ill be gone for practice tomorrow though. But Saturday for sure. You won't fail, I assure you!" "How do ya know fer certain." "Mac, she GAVE you her number. Most guys have to jump through fire to get some girls number. But you my big red friend, have achieved the impossible!" "Well...if ya say so." For the next fifteen minutes, they both sat back and finished their cider in silence, listening to the rain pounding down on the roof, and contemplating on how to approach the farmer's situation.