Soul

All right, let's try somethin' else.

- (STICK TAPPING) - (MUSIC STOPS)

Uh, from the top. Ready. One, two, three.

One, two, three, four.

- Stay on the beat. - (PLAYING JAZZ MUSIC)

Two, three, four.

That's C-sharp, horns.

Two, three... I see you, Caleb.

Rachel, now you.

Forgot my sax, Mr G.

Okay, she forgot her sax. And now, all you, Connie.

Go for it!

Way to go!

Hang on, hang on. What are y'all laughing at?

So Connie got a little lost in it.

That's a good thing.

Look, I remember one time

my dad took me to this jazz club,

and that's the last place I wanted to be.

But then I see this guy,

and he's playing these chords with fourths on it,

and then with the minor...

- (MINOR KEYS PLAY) - Oh, oh, whoo.

Then he adds the inner voices, and it's like he's...

It's like he's singing.

And I swear, the next thing I know...

...it's like he floats off the stage.

That guy was lost in the music.

He was in it, and he took the rest of us with him.

(CONTINUES PLAYING MELODIOUS TRILLING NOTES)

And I wanted to learn...

...how to talk like that.

That's when I knew...

I was born to play.

Connie knows what I mean. Right, Connie?

I'm 12.

I'll be right back. Practise your scales.

Sorry to interrupt, Mr Gardner.

You're doing my ears a favour.

- Hey! - Not you, though, you're good.

- (WHISPERS) He's not. - (CHUCKLES)

What can I do for you, Principal Arroyo?

I wanted to deliver the good news personally.

No more part-time for you.

You're now our full-time band teacher.

- (GROANS SOFTLY) - Job security.

Medical insurance. Pension.

Wow. That's, uh, great.

Welcome to the M.S. 70 family, Joe. Permanently.

Thanks.

(INSTRUMENTS CONTINUE PLAYING DISCORDANTLY)

After all these years, my prayers have been answered.

A full-time job.

Working man, coming through.

Yeah, Mom, but I...

You're going to tell them yes, right?

Don't worry, Mom, I got a plan.

You always got a plan.

Maybe you need to have a backup plan, too,

- for when your plan falls through. - (WOMAN GROANING)

- A backup plan never hurts. - (JOE SIGHS)

Joey, we didn't struggle giving you an education

so you could be a middle-aged man

washing your underwear in my shop.

Walking around with a hole in his pants.

- Yeah, but... - With this job, you'll be able

to put that dead-end gigging behind you.

And Lord knows we need more teachers in this world.

And just think,

playing music will finally be your real career.

So you're going to tell them yes, right?

Please say yes.

Yeah, definitely.

Good.

- (JOE SIGHS) - (JAZZ MUSIC RINGTONE PLAYING)

Hello?

How you been, Mr G?

Uh, it's Curley. Lamont. Lamont Baker.

Hey, Curley! Hey, good to hear your voice, man.

Uh... Listen. You can call me Joe now, Curley.

I'm not your teacher anymore.

Oh, okay, Mr Gardner.

Hey, look, I'm the new drummer in the Dorothea Williams Quartet,

and we're kickin' off our tour with a show at The Half Note tonight.

Dorothea Williams! Are you kidding me?

Are you kidding me? Congratulations, man. Wow!

I would die a happy man

if I could perform with Dorothea Williams.

Oh, well, this could be your lucky day.

- (TYRES SCREECH) - (CAR HORN BLARES)

Whew, there he is. - Hey, Curley.

Leon skipping town really put us in a bind, man.

- Yeah. Uh, I'll bet. - I'm glad you made it.

My boy, Bishop, said he sat in with you on a set last year in Brooklyn.

Said you were great.

Well, you know, for a coffee shop.

Hey, Dorothea.

This is the cat I was telling you about.

My old middle school band teacher, Mr Gardner.

Call me Joe, Dorothea.

Uh... Uh, I mean, Miss Williams.

It's a pleasure. Wow. This is amazing.

Uh, Joe is Ray Gardner's son.

So, we're down to middle school band teachers now.

Get on up here, Teach, we ain't got all day.

- What... What are we playin'? - (HITS NOTE ON PIANO)

(CONTINUES PLAYING IMPROVISED TRILLING NOTES)

Uh, sorry.

I zoned out a little back there.

Joe Gardner, where have you been?

I've been, uh, teaching, middle school band.

Uh, but on the weekends, I...

- You got a suit? - Uh...

Get a suit, Teach. A good suit.

Back here tonight. First show's at 9:00.

Soundcheck's at 7:00.

We'll see how you do.

Yes! Whoo-hoo!

You see that, Dad? That's what I'm talking about!

Hey, look up, look up.

You know what that's gonna say? Joe Gardner!

You're never gonna believe what just happened.

I did it. I got the gig. Yes!

I... I know.

Dorothea Williams! Can you believe it?

Hey, pal, you're gonna get hurt!

Just don't tell my mom about this. Okay?

Forget class. I'm in a different class.

I'm in a Dorothea Williams class, buddy.

You know what I'm saying? I'm...

- (BARKS) - Whoa! Sorry!

- (HORN BLARES) - (GASPS)

What the...

Hello?

Hello?

What the...

Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Hello!

Hello.

Oh, what's your name, honey?

Uh, I'm Joe. Joe Gardner.

Look, I'm not supposed to be here.

Ah. Must have been sudden for you.

You see, Joe, I'm 106 years old.

Been waiting a long time for this.

- For what? - The Great Beyond.

The Great Beyond?

- As in, as in beyond life? - Yeah.

- That's death right there? - (SPEAKING INUKTITUT)

Exciting, isn't it?

No, no, no, listen.

I have a gig tonight. I can't die now.

(CHUCKLES) Well, I really don't think

you have a lot to say about this.

Yes. Yes, I do.

I'm not dying the very day I got my shot. I'm due.

Heck, I'm overdue.

Uh-uh, uh-uh. I'm outta here.

I don't think you're supposed to go that way.

This can't happen. I'm not dyin' today.

Not when my life just started.

What was that?

Wait. I'm not finished. I gotta get back.

I don't wanna die!

I'm not done. I'm not done. Run!

- Why aren't you running? - I don't know.

- What's wrong with you people? I don't know.

(IN ENGLISH) I'm not done. (GRUNTING)

Ahh!

Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Excuse me.

Help! I'm not done. I gotta get back.

Oh, my... Oh, my goodness.

- (LAUGHTER) - (JOE GASPS)

- (JOE GASPS) - (NEW SOUL GIGGLES)