[Manehatten] Of all the Clubs, In all the Towns...

[OilWells]

Oil Wells was at a loss. Call it a rut, a funk, a hole, an impasse, or anything you want, but lately he had been spending many late nights roaming the Manehatten streets aimless, unable to keep focus on his direction or purpose as it seemed the whole world was passing him by. During the day he worked diligently at his company, keeping things in order, filling out the proper paperwork, and behaving as one would suspect a sensible business tycoon ought to, but when he left his office and all the papers with it, his mind began to flow through a stream of consciousness as the city lights blurred, the street names passed by over head and the many companies seemed to glide from into the other, his attention off somewhere else as an unnameable feeling took hold. His gaze was kept low as his hooves continued to pound the pavement, looking for something to occupy his psyche.

Now he found himself sitting in a club he barely took the time to learn the name off as he sipped on a drink he barely recalled ordering and he brooded over decision he would eventually have to make in the ever-so-distant future. His mind only acknowledging the music subconsciously as musicians played on in a world seemingly separate from Wells despite occupying the same room. His only conscious recognition of the music is when a trumpet or another brass instrument of the sort would stand out from the ensemble with an abrasive squeal that would temporarily scatter his thoughts, but the most he would do is bump into reality, take a quick glimpse around the bar and return to his original thought, scuttling off back into his own little world.

It wasn't that he didn't like the music, on the contrary, he found a beauty in most music as he had traveled to distant borders and found so many different forms of music, that sense of cultural relativity allowing him to find appeal in almost any melody, but tonight he just had no heart in it and it only seemed to add to the unfortunately feeling he was experiencing, that he might be growing tired of Manehatten, something he never thought he would come to think.

There was no mystery left to explore, no landmark he hadn't seen many times, no social phenomenon or idiosyncrasy gone unwitnessed, and no road or street gone untraveled. At one point this city held nothing but wonder for him, the amazing clock work-esque tidiness of the day followed by the shadow heavy 'hip' scene of the night. He spent many years watching it and seeing its every nook and cranny, but now it was all commonplace and while he didn't grow disdainful of the city, not even the image of its towering buildings with its gleeming lights could fill him with an unbridled sense of joy like it use to.

"But what's keeping me here," he muttered to himself as he took another sip of his drink, "I could see the world at the stomp of a hoof, but here I am just behaving like a sleepless nomad. I could take my work with me anywhere, I could traverse Equestria's many beaches, see its far-away lands, see sights I haven't bored myself with but here I am. Its not a matter of not being able to leave, but for some reason not wanting to." He continued to sit there, the music passing into one ear and out the other as he turns his dilemma over in his head.

[Elderflower]

Riff Run found herself in the streets of Manehattan yet again, the tense atmosphere of busy business ponies settling over her like a shadow of the past. She had come to visit her parents and found her stay cut off rather short; the couple had a business meeting in Canterlot the next morning and had to take off before they had a chance to really speak to their daughter. Well, then…what to do? Outside of her parents’ large house, the mare found herself tapping her black hoof on the pavement, unconsciously hitting out a rhythm as she tried to think. There wasn’t much in Manehattan she could claim to truly love, being so full of the upper-crust folks she simply didn’t jive with. But hey, when in Rome…

Although, no. Not when in Rome! She wasn’t in Rome, and in any case she wasn’t likely to throw on a massive, feathered hat and prance around to some tight little waltz. The coffee-coloured gal let out a little sigh. Perhaps she was a little too judgmental of Manehattan, considering her own tense past here. With a fresh sense of determination, she finally started trotting off. There was one stallion here she knew decently well, the son of one of her father’s business partners. He was a trumpet player who liked to hit up the local scene from time to time, though she doubted he was interested in jazz. If she could find this character, though, perhaps she could convince him to let her hog the stage for a bit?

The idea made a wide smile flash across the jazz singin’ Birdy’s lips, and she immediately set off with determination. She didn’t remember the name of the club the stallion told her about so many moons ago, but she remembered where he said it was. It was only one brisk walk until Riff arrived there, all smiles, and walked up to the barkeep. She bought herself a shot of whiskey and took in the scenery – it wasn’t a bad spot! And she her trumpet-playing pal was up on stage as she suspected, though she was surprised to find that his band was, indeed, playing jazz! Well…it was something like jazz. A little too tame and a little too rigid for her tastes, but she could see where they were aiming.

Riff barely had time to finish her drink before the band took their break, however, and she immediately jumped on her old “friend.” Grinning madly, she sweeted his ears with the loveliest conversational voice she could make, telling him about her oh-so-many experiences with on-the-fly live performances. She was a drifting jazz singer, after all – she was a master of “on the fly.” It didn’t take much to have the band convinced – one little nudge towards the trumpet player and she knew he’d pick up for her with his band. Technically, he only heard her sing a few times before, but he trusted her talent and attitude enough to know she wasn't going to make a fool of anypony.

When the band took the stage again, Riff hopped right on up with them.

[colour=#daa520]“Well, well, well, you fine folks,”[/colour] she purred as she stepped into the soft, warm stage lights, [colour=#daa520]“Have we got a treat for you. These stiff old fools have been boring you long enough. It’s time to give you all a real taste of jazz – consider it Birdy’s treat.”[/colour]

The mare was grinning ear to ear, looking quite mischievous as the band readied their instruments. She picked out a random stallion in the audience and offered him a little wink, and then the music kicked in – perhaps it was the wrong stallion, though, for this one seem awfully distracted and disinterested in the happenings on stage.

They played it safe at first, the band, playing classic tunes from big names like Fillie Holiday and Flicka Fitzgerald. Their timidity didn’t suit the glossy-haired mare, though. As soon as she started her second song, she started pushing. She’d run off, improving her vocals – a slur of words and sounds with a wild edge brought to life with her deep, rich tones. And every time she pushed, she felt the band loosening up. So she kept pushing, letting her heavy-lidded eyes slide shut and the familiar ecstasy rush through her. This is what she lives for! It was clear to the audience that this gal had not a single care aside from her music – she was off in her own little world, a world filled with the smell of salt air, chocolate, and coffee and the sound of the ocean waves. Singing jazz always brought her heart back home to Corralwood Corral.

She wasn’t sure exactly how long they ran on for, but eventually she could hear a few of the instrument lagging a little and felt herself surfacing from her world of music. She took a bow and hopped off stage to buy a round of whiskey for herself and the boys, looking around until her eyes zoned in on the slate-grey character looking out of place at the cozy bar. She had noticed him when she made her little introduction because he was the only one in the joint who looked like he was in a whole other plane of thinking (and maybe even existence!). Grinning, she ordered an extra shot and had it delivered, along with hers, over to the mustachioed stallion’s table.

[colour=#daa520]“Thanks for the show, boys,”[/colour] she called out to the band as she bee-lined towards the grey character.

As she approached the stranger, she couldn’t help but reassume the mischievous little smirk she was wearing before.

[colour=#daa520]“Well, hey there grumpy!”[/colour] she sang out, her voice a little huskier than usual after all that singing, [colour=#daa520]“I noticed you looked terribly distracted so I got us a round. The name’s Riff Run, but friends call me Birdy.”[/colour]

And just like that, one of the bartenders sauntered on in carrying a tray with the two shots of whiskey. It was a nicer brand, rich gold in colour with a smooth taste. A fine product worth the extra expense (though it wasn’t the most expensive brand in the club.”

[OilWells]

Time, it ticked on, but Oil made a conscious effort to drown it out, to let it flow freely, to silence his internal clock, to let it become an abstract concept which he had no grasp on, and in doing so, hoping to free himself from the stress of constant awareness to the proximity of the next day approaching from a distance. As long as could recognize the stream of life, but not the duration for which its been flowing, he could feel at peace, at least more at peace than he had been. Even as he actively removed the clicking of the endless clock from his mind, it didn't do much to help the funk he seemed to be drowning in. He was, by no means, depressed, but he seemed to be unsatisfied with the world around him and even if the feeling was fleeting and tomorrow would bring a new sense of wonder and joy, his current emotional state was one of such displeasure that he couldn't wait for the next day, he wanted to find the answer to his dilemma tonight, but he didn't know how.

There wasn't a word he could think of to describe what was going through his head and lacking a proper description seemed to frustrate him more, but before he could reflect on the many reasons he had ended up at this club tonight in his aimless wandering, Oil was stirred from his self-imposed mental exile as he heard a voice directed over at him. The voice seemed lively and inviting, causing Oil to take a quick glimpse over. Even though having not noticed her when she had entered the club, he did notice her for a brief moment when she had jumped up on stage and joined the band for their second set and was surprised to find her talking to him now as he sat beside himself in the smokey atmosphere. Surely there must have been a reason why should would choose to strike up a conversation with him instead of hanging with the band, but he couldn't seem to think of one.

A shot was was place before him as the mare introduced herself, Oil taking note that she had called him grump, even if in a slightly enduring manner. As he quickly examined the situation, he figured it would be rude of him not to interact when she had shown no sense of hostility and no hint of a mocking tone. He turned himself slightly towards her and summoned up the best friendly, but somewhat obligated, smile he could muster.

"Nice to meet you...er...Birdy. My name is Oil Wells," he began as he shuffled the shot a bit in front of him, "um...good show tonight, as far as me being distracted, well, I guess you could say so. I've been a bit off lately. My mind has just been...somewhere else as of late."

[starswirlthebearded]

Harmonic Dissonance was in Manehattan for the first time in quite a while. Overall she found the clean streets strikingly similar to her home town of Baltimare. Baltimare just wasn't as bustling as this particular city, and that of course means a more hip and happening nightlife! Harmony was walking the streets around the areas where her mentor once showed her had stages that jazz musicians would often play, hoping that some place would strike her.

She heard the blare of a trumpet coming out of a club that she had never been to before. It didn't seem like any of the jazz clubs she had seen previously, but she felt it was worth a look. She walked in and made her way to the bar where she saw a few ponies, one of which stood out, a coffee coloured earth pony. Harmony turned her attention to the band on stage, which was a trumpet run trio. They played their best, but it had no flow, no life. It was jazz certainly, but it felt like a lifeless shell of what Harmony felt jazz should be. They played several well known pieces almost to the note, without any feeling or swing to it.

As the concord grape coloured pony with the red wine ruffled mane sat at the bar, the coffee coloured pony got up. She had finished her drink as the band took a break. It looked as if she knew the stiff trumpeter. After a bit of talking she got up on stage. Harmony ordered whiskey on the rocks. The coffee coloured pony got up and in a smooth husky voice said "[colour=#DAA520]“Well, well, well, you fine folks.[/colour][colour=#282828] [/colour][colour=#DAA520]Have we got a treat for you. These stiff old fools have been boring you long enough. It’s time to give you all a real taste of jazz – consider it Birdy’s treat.”[/colour]

The pony started to sing, she had a rich and full voice. She sang several jazz classics. The more time went on the more she let her voice go. Harmony let her self get lost in her voluptuous voice. Harmony was getting, for the lack of a better word, jazzed up. She was itching to play now. She surveyed the stage when she noticed a tarp. She asked the barkeep what it was, and he explained it was their piano with its dust cover on. While tapping her hoof to the music she smiled hoping for her chance to play.

The coffee coloured pony stepped down and went over to a rather disinterested looking pony. The stage was clear which afforded Harmony the chance to take it. She stood up and walked over to the covered piano and grabbed the tarp with her teeth pulling it off. She opened the baby grand piano and plucked a string. Satisfied with its tuning she walked up to the mic. [colour=#330066]"Hey everypony, after the last performance I got the itch to play. I'll do my best to show all you hep and happenin' pon's something good."[/colour]

With that she sat down and started playing. She started off slow with a well known jazz piano classic. However she didn't stick with that for long. She started improvising about halfway through the song, playing off beat syncopation. She played her hooves off, occasionally hitting the strings inside the piano for effect not losing the rhythm with her other hoof. Something she perfected under her mentor. She shifted into the piano solo from a well known Art Coltly and the Jazz Messengers classic and continued with that. She didn't play it note for note, she played it with her own interpretation. She shifted the transitions with her own personal style. And again she shifted into her own improv. Now she was really in the groove. She started playing what seemed almost like random dissonant notes that seemed to flow into one and other like they were meant to be played like that. She made the piano cry as she picked up speed in her playing, swinging and shifting back into consonant chords with amorphous syncopation that was prevalent in jazz. She was now playing her personal compositions that she just loved to have fun with.

Finally tired she decided to give her hooves a rest and take ten. She stepped off the stage to allow the next act, or perhaps the original trio to take the stage again. She walked over to the coffee coloured pony who was talking with some stallion who seemed down. [colour=#330066]"Thanks for the inspiration. Your voice was something else. Perhaps we can play together sometime."[/colour] Harmony smiled looking at the stallion and nodding, not wanting to drop in on their conversation.

[Snowshoe]

Squeak. Squeak. Squeak.

It was a sound familiar to a select few ponies. A constant, soft squeaking, like an un-oiled wheel.

Likely because it was an un-oiled wheel.

Squeak. Squeak.

It was the wheel on the base of Timbre Swing's contrebasse, the little spindle and wheel sticking out from a slot in the case. The instrument was wrapped in the soft blue glow of his magic, and the muted green stallion was grinning. It was a great night in Manehattan, a city he loved. He could go out at night and find a club anywhere to play, if he so wanted to. And it just so happened that tonight, he wanted to.

So he'd thrown on a clean white shirt, his black fedora, and hit the street with his contrebasse. He'd been wandering for a few minutes when he finally found a club, and stepped inside. Quiet, not many ponies, with a beautiful mare with a coat of purple at the piano. He respectfully lifted his instrument a bit to keep the squeaking of interfering, and set it near the door. Jazz. It would seem he'd found a jazz club. He watched with a smile, quite enjoying her playing style, but when she stepped down and nopony immediately went up, he had a plan.

"Salut," he said casually, trotting past everypony and hanging his hat on a peg near the door, the massive case floating behind him. He wasn't trying intentionally to show off, but he would never let an opportunity to play go to waste. Not since he'd made it sort-of big, with a very public duet with THE Sapphire Shores, and a couple music festivals. He idly flicked open the latches on the case and lifted the contrebass out. The instrument was worn, but kept in great shape by its owner. Timbre Swing looked over the audience, and shrugged. Might as well give them something to liven up the evening.

He plucked out a relatively simple bass line, bobbing his head a bit as he flicked down a hoof-stand at the back of the instrument. He placed a hind hoof on it, and once settled, the bass line got a little faster, and a little more complex. He soloed with it a bit, then grinned and opened his mouth to start singing...scat singing. No recognizable words, just sounds and syllables. Using only his voice, and the non-sense that was scat singing, he provided his own accompaniment to his bass line, and Timbre Swing played out an improvised, fast, swingy jazz number, ending it with a little flourish on his bass after a good few minutes of playing.

He smiled widely and kicked off with his other hoof, literally riding the contrebasse on its little wheel to the other end of the stage, where he got down and set it back in his case. "Merci! Thank you," he said, always happy after playing, even if nopony else was. He trotted over to the bar and grinned at the bartender. "A Black Stallian, merci," he said, looking over at the others at the bar. He smiled, raising his dark drink to them. " 'aving a good evenin?" he asked, his Fancy accent thick, but understandable.

[While he's a lot more traditional, I find

makes for a good example of his energetic style.]

[Elderflower]

Riff took a long, slow pull at her whiskey while the grey pony spoke, feeling the warmth of the drink spread from her mouth down to her belly. She had her eyes closed while she drank, tapping her hoof on the table as she played out a little rhythm. This was the life!

[colour=#000080] "Um...good show tonight, as far as me being distracted, well, I guess you could say so. I've been a bit off lately. My mind has just been...somewhere else as of late."[/colour]

​

[colour=#daa520]“Hey, thanks!” [/colour]the coffee-coloured mare replied with a vicious grin, [colour=#daa520]“I don’t know what’s eatin’ ya, but I can guarantee that if you loosen up a little and take in the atmosphere there’s no way you can stay in a funk. Y’look like ya have a steel rod instead of a spine!”[/colour]

Her statement may have given the impression of being a little abrasive, but the gal immediately followed it with a soft little laugh, lightly punching the stallion’s shoulder in a show of good humour. She was going to continue talking to the stallion, but when she opened her mouth to speak another pony was making her way up to the stage. Wide-eyed and interested, Riff immediately zoned her attention on the purple mare as she swung the cover off of a lovely piano with her teeth, the fabric rustling and almost purring as she did so. That piano wanted to be played, the coffee-coloured mare was sure of it.

As soon as the pianist mare started playing, Riff knew she had swing, and as her little show went on the vocalist could feel energy crackling throughout her. Eyes glued to the stage, she tapped along a rhythm with her hoof, completely pulled away from the conversation she had started. But she couldn’t help herself! What musicality, what wild creativity! It was completely fresh, but at the same time there was a heavy note of familiarity Riff couldn’t quite place. It called up nostalgic memories as she watched the stage –memories of her first time hearing jazz floating through the hot streets of Corralwood Corral, and her first time stepping into the dim and comfortable lighting of a cozy bar. She couldn’t help it – that first jazz pianist she had met was so strong in her thoughts that she could almost see her sitting at the bar, a grin on her face.

When the purple pianist took her leave from the stage, Riff couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed. She was just about to excuse herself from Oil Wells to go and meet the other jazz pony, but as soon as she turned to leave she was face to face with her!

[colour=#4b0082] "Thanks for the inspiration. Your voice was something else. Perhaps we can play together sometime."[/colour]

​

[colour=#daa520]“That means a lot coming from such a mad talent! You’re a total wildfire on the piano, and I'd love to jam with ya!”[/colour]

Riff extended her hoof, eyes shining with wide smile on her face.

[colour=#daa520]“The name’s Riff Run,”[/colour] she said, [colour=#daa520]“Though friends call me Birdy. It’s always good to meet another musician, especially one who knows a thing or two about jazz with a play style like yours!”[/colour]

While they were speaking, another pony took the stage – this time a green stallion on the Contrabass, with mad scat skills. It seemed as though all of Equestria’s great talents were taking the stage in Manehattan tonight! Perhaps Riff was letting her fillyhood experiences dictate her impression of the place a little too harshly…obviously there was a lot happening in Manehattan!

When the stallion removed himself from the stage as well, the coffee coloured mare swore that she recognized his face, but she couldn’t quite place the name to him.

[colour=#006400]" 'aving a good evenin?" [/colour]

​

[colour=#daa520]“A brilliant one! How could it be anything but wonderful with this much mad talent around?”[/colour]

Looking around at the small collection of jazz ponies (and Oil Wells), Riff offered up a lazy smile and tapped on the table with her black hoof. She caught the eyes of the barkeep and nodded at him, to which he offered up a knowing grin. Another round of drinks was on its way!

[colour=#daa520]“Okay, folks. A round on me! This is going to be a wonderful evening.”[/colour]

[OilWells]

It wasn't the first time somepony had told him to loosen up and it probably wouldn't be the last. He's been called it all; high strung, humorless, a stick in the mud, all sort of things, but he couldn't help but chuckle with Birdy at the uniqueness of her observation. He couldn't be mad about it, because he knew it to be true, even other business ponies seemed ore relaxed than him as it seemed he stuffed himself in his own little corner day in and day out. He nodded in agreement with Birdy as he realized that he just needed to enjoy himself a bit more, maybe that's what he needed to get over his little problem.

He downed the shot and looked over at Birdy to sum up some sort of reply, but quickly realized that she was no longer paying attention and was far too gone in the music as melody swirled around the room and filled the space in between. A mare tapped away on the keys of a piano with a sort of ferocious energy. Oil listened in his own reserved way, enjoying the way the music moved, conjuring interesting images in his head of colours flowing to individual formations following the progression of the notes. That's what he had always loved about music; its ability to take hold of an entire room and cause emotions and thoughts to sway back and forth with so little effort. To be lost in the sounds of a performance was an experience that couldn't quite be replicated.

As time went on, the mare finished playing her set and walked over to talk to Birdy, Oil taking this as an invitation to bud out of the conversation, not wanting to feel as if he was intruding as the two ponies talked to each other. Another pony jumped on stage after the mare and, like the ponies before him, played a style vastly different from the previous performance. The bass playing and scat singing a bit more minimalist in its style, but held its own as far as energy and enjoyability. Oil took pleasure in the fact that it wasn't often that he got to hear something of this sort and decided to sit and listen, letting the music wrap around his mind and envelope him in his own thoughts, but his thoughts being far more positive than they had before.

The stallion finished playing and packed up his instrument before making his way to the bar, ordering himself a drink and greeting the rest of the culminating group with an accent as unique as his performance. Oil Wells nodded and smiled, still the same obligated smile he had used before, but he felt it coming a bit more naturally. Suddenly, he found another shot before him thanks to Birdy as she seemed to be quite the generous type. Oil shrugged and took the drink, looking at the company that seemed to form around him.

"Que Sera Sera," he said aloud as he downed another shot, "So, looks like we have ourselves quite the grouping tonight, three jazz ponies and a grumpy old stallion." He chuckled in good humor. He never felt completely relaxed in crowds, but tonight he would make an attempt, they didn't know him, they didn't have any preconceived notions of who he was and that was always the best foot to start on. "It seems we have quite the talented lot here, almost makes me envious that I didn't stick to an instrument, I know a little here and there, but nothing quite like you all."

[starswirlthebearded]

The coffee coloured mare turned and seemed to be surprised by Harmony's presence in front of her. She wasn't quite sure why. She shrugged it off until the mare spoke. Harmony gave her compliments to the mare.

[colour=#DAA520]“That means a lot coming from such a mad talent! You’re a total wildfire on the piano, and I'd love to jam with ya!” [/colour]the mare said extending her hoof with a wide welcoming grin. These two were obviously kindred spirits.

A bit taken aback by the return compliment Harmony responded [colour=#330066]"Oh, er... thank you. It wasn't much really. I just let the music flow." [/colour] She extended her hoof to shake with the mare as she snickerd at the wildfire comment. [colour=#330066]"That isn't the first time my playing has been described like that. I'm starting to think that is a compliment." [/colour]Harmony said with a laugh. [colour=#330066]"And just name the time and place for a jam session sister. I'm down whenever!"[/colour] Harmony said excitedly. That's what she loved most about jazz musicians, the music was a reward in itself, playing off the clock wasn't a chore it was an adventure. In the orchestra, no one played off the clock just for fun, it was always work, even when improvising.

The mare introduced herself. [colour=#DAA520]“The name’s Riff Run. [/colour][colour=#DAA520]Though friends call me Birdy. It’s always good to meet another musician, especially one who knows a thing or two about jazz with a play style like yours!”[/colour]

[colour=#330066]"Birdy? I like it! It suits you somehow!"[/colour] Harmony exclaimed. [colour=#330066]"I'm Harmonic Dissonance. My mentor called me "Dissy" because of my, as you say, wild style. Others call me some variation of my first name. I'm not too picky about names though so long as I can tell you're talkin' to me."[/colour]

While this conversation was occurring a third jazz pony took the stage, a pale green pony wearing a fedora and a white shirt. This one rolling along a contrabass case. He opened it and revealed a heavy accent. Starting off with a bass solo, he then gained energy and started to scat. Harmony smiled, as she hadn't heard scat in ages, and this stallion was no slouch. The scat just seemed to sputter off his lips with such fervor that Harmony found herself tapping her hooves to the scat. When it ended he too made his way over to that table. It was like all the jazz musicians were magnetically attracted to one and other.

[colour=#282828]" 'aving a good evenin?"[/colour]

[colour=#282828]The foreign bass playing scat pony asked. To which Harmony replied [/colour][colour=#330066]"I always have a good evenin' when I get up on stage. It's what I live for."[/colour]

[colour=#DAA520]“Okay, folks. A round on me! This is going to be a wonderful evening.”[/colour]

Another round of drinks were ordered by the rather generous Birdy. As the drinks came, she looked around, not wanting to take the first drink in case a toast was to be initiated.

[colour=#282828]"Que Sera Sera," he said aloud as he downed another shot, "So, looks like we have ourselves quite the grouping tonight, three jazz ponies and a grumpy old stallion."[/colour]

The older stallion downed his shot, and Harmony followed suit. She laughed at his crack. [colour=#330066]"Just loosen up ya hep pon'! Even the most wound up pon's can unravel with some good whiskey and even better music. Ya just gotta learn to let go!"[/colour] She tried to get through the distracted stallion.

[colour=#282828] "It seems we have quite the talented lot here, almost makes me envious that I didn't stick to an instrument, I know a little here and there, but nothing quite like you all."[/colour]

[colour=#330066]"I really have much to learn. I just play how I want to play and hope it sounds good. Nothin' more really. I go with the flow and let the music direct me and do what I love."[/colour] The young mare responded. She still was no where near the level of her mentor, but she loved jazz, every second of it. It was an addiction, one she didn't want to break.

[Snowshoe]

Timbre Swing laughed softly, grinning at Riff Run. "Mad talent?" he chuckled, sipping his drink. "Merci, been a while since I 'ave preformed for a crowd," he said. He laughed when she ordered a round of drinks. " 'a! Usually, I'm zee one who buys zee beautiful mares drinks," he teased with a grin. It'd been a while since he'd come to a proper jazz club, and even longer since he saw any true talent up on stage. Though he hadn't seen Riff Run's performance, given what he overheard from Harmonic Dissonance and Riff Run's conversation, the coffee-coloured mare was a singer. Interesting. And a jam session, too?

His ear twitched when he heard his native tongue from Oil Wells, but realized it was just a turn of the phrase, and he didn't suspect the pony spoke it. Pity, he'd only ever heard himself speak Fancy. Timbre Swing waved a hoof dismissively at what Oil Wells said, grinning. "Ah, don't be so 'ard. All I can do is play, zere is little else. You 'ave a talent, je suis sure." He finished off his Black Stallian. "It's very easy to learn, aussi. Could teach you, per'aps?" he offered, leaning against the bar. He looked over at Riff Run, smiling. "I count four ponies, so you must be zee ozz'er jazz pony. Mon nom est Timbre Swing," he introduced himself as, holding out a hoof toward her. "I believe I may 'ave missed your performance. You are...a singer?"

[Elderflower]

[colour=#4b0082]<"I'm Harmonic Dissonance. My mentor called me "Dissy" because of my, as you say, wild style. Others call me some variation of my first name. I'm not too picky about names though so long as I can tell you're talkin' to me.">[/colour]

[colour=#DAA520]“Dissy, huh?”[/colour] Riff asked with a lopsided smile, [colour=#DAA520]“Doesn’t sound half bad – Dissy and Birdy, jazz mares extraordinaire!”[/colour]

As she said it, the jazzy mare struck a tacky pose, flicking her voluminous mane with her hoof before bursting into a small peal of laughter.

[colour=#daa520]“We’d be stars!”[/colour]

She decided she quite liked this Harmonic Dissonance character. Not only was she into jazz – she lived and breathed it. That alone was enough to make Riff endeared towards her, but the sense of friendliness and ease about her cemented the opinion. There was no kind of pony more likely to gain Riff Run’s respect than a friendly pony; adding music into the mix was a recipe for instantaneous friendship!

[colour=#006400]<"Merci, been a while since I 'ave preformed for a crowd. 'a! Usually, I'm zee one who buys zee beautiful mares drinks.">[/colour]

[colour=#DAA520]“Well, for a stallion who claims to be out of practice, ya definitely made that baby o’ yours purr, and ya’ve got a great voice to boot! Between you and Dissy here, I’m starting to think I’ve got Manehattan all wrong. I thought this city was full of nothing but boring ol’ stiffs hooked on purely technical tunes!”[/colour]

The mare finally took her shot of whiskey and smacked her lips, offering a mischievous wink to the green pony, [colour=#daa520]“And it seems your eyes are in the same working order your voice is in, if ya can recognize a great looker such as myself!”[/colour]

Riff couldn’t help but laugh at herself for that last comment. She wasn’t a self-absorbed or boastful pony at all, but got a real kick out of playing the part of one – unfortunately she could never pull off that act with a straight face. Whether or not the others caught onto the joke mattered little to her; she had been traveling and living alone for so long that despite the numerous folk she met along the way she had become quite used to living in her own little world. Either way, Timbre was making as good an impression as Dissy had, and there weren’t many words to describe the vocalist’s feelings at having met up with three friendly ponies in one evening, especially two fellow jazzy folks such as herself. It’s exactly the reason she decided to take up traveling – to experience all of the flavours the world has to offer in terms of ponies and places!

<[colour=#000080]"So, looks like we have ourselves quite the grouping tonight, three jazz ponies and a grumpy old stallion. It seems we have quite the talented lot here, almost makes me envious that I didn't stick to an instrument, I know a little here and there, but nothing quite like you all.”[/colour]

[colour=#006400]“You 'ave a talent, je suis sure.">[/colour]

[colour=#daa520]“Grumpy, huh?”[/colour] Riff asked the grey stallion with a lopsided grin, charisma seeming to ooze out of every pore on her body, [colour=#daa520]“Y’know, ya may look like a bit of a stiff at first glance, but I had the feeling there’s more to ya! If ya can laugh at yourself, then you’re alright in my books! And this dapper gentlecolt here’s got it right, ya definitely have a talent. And I bet I know what it is.”[/colour]

Her expression turning sly, Riff leaned in closer to Oil Wells. She made a big show of trying to be secretive, but when she spoke it was loudly enough for the other to hear, [colour=#daa520]“Your talent, good sir Oily, has to be that healthy and full mustache o’ yours! I swear ya could be a mustache model!”[/colour]

Yep, it was official. Manehattan was filled to the brim with good ponies that Riff Run wanted to get to know better. Even though he wasn’t a jazz musician such as the others, Oil Wells was the kind of character that Riff Run always aimed to make friends out of. As she said, being able to laugh at oneself is an important quality! To her, it meant that a pony didn’t take themselves too seriously, or lord themselves above others. She was certainly glad she had approached him!

<[colour=#006400]"I believe I may 'ave missed your performance. You are...a singer?">[/colour]

[colour=#daa520]“Oh, sir Timbre!”[/colour] Riff exclaimed, [colour=#daa520]“You have guessed correctly!”[/colour]

In an instant, Riff went from a playful attitude to right in the zone, raising a hoof to signal for stillness. She drew a breath, eyes closed, and attempted to grab a moment of zen before snapping her eyes open with her lopsided grin, her brow arched as though she was saying to Timbre that she wasn’t just going to answer him…she was going to prove it.

And that’s exactly what she made to do! Loosened up by her previous performance, the good atmosphere and company (and the drink still warm in her belly), Riff began to sing. She took a page from Timbre’s book and played it out scat style, starting slow at first to really put emphasis on the rich, low tones of her voice. She always tried to envision a cascade of melted chocolate when she sang like this – her home was her greatest inspiration at times, and the chocolate that came out of Corralwood Corral was as rich and sweet as she wanted her voice to sound when she sang.

It wasn’t long before she began picking up the pace, however. She wanted to prove herself to be a singer to the green stallion, but she didn’t want to run on too long – if she spent too much time singing solo like this, after all, she wouldn’t get to talk to her new friends! So she cut herself off after a minute and beamed, clearly enjoying herself immensely.

[colour=#daa520]“So, d’ya believe me to be a singer now?”[/colour]

[OilWells]

Another suggestion to unwind and relax, this time from Harmony, Oil Wells nodded and smiled, figuring if he received the same piece of advice from multiple ponies in one night, there must have been something behind it. What really struck him as profound was the next thing Harmony said about playing how she wanted to play and letting the music direct her, for a moment he turned it over before replying, "Then, if you don't mind me saying so, I suggest you never change that. If you want the key to happiness, not that I think you haven't already found it, its always being willing to learn, always doing what makes you happy, and always following what comes naturally to you...well, listen to me, sounding as if I am trying to be some sort of wise pony, haha."

"As for you Timbre," Oil Wells spoke with a fullness as if addressing another business pony, but the humor obvious seeping out in the cracks, "If you are offering to teach me, I might have to take you up on that some day." A completely natural smile formed effortlessly on Oil's face, feeling at ease among these strangers. It was so rare to run into a group of ponies who wished nothing but happiness on each other. Oil drowned himself in a world of cutthroat ponies who often looked forward to the collapse of a competitor and would pick at whatever remained of the deceased empire. However, in music there were no competitors, just fellow musicians, and the fall of another artists benefited no one in their world, so it made sense that they would harbor no ill will towards in and it also made sense why he would be so hesitant in accepting their kindness.

Oil busted out laughing at Birdy's comments about his mustache, being caught by surprise at the term 'mustache model'. Once he regained his composure and his laughter was dying down he replied, "Well, I'm glad you see something more in me than a business stiff and while I do appreciate the compliments towards my mustache, I'm afraid that isn't my particular talent, but trust me I do have one, its just along some very different lines haha."

Once Birdy began singing in reply to Timbre, Oil ordered himself another drink, something a bit bigger, something he could sip on a bit more and enjoy for a longer span of time. Once Birdy was done, Oil gave a round of applause, showing his appreciation for the impromptu demonstration of Birdy's singing ability. "Not a doubt in my mind, Birdy, not a doubt in my mind."

[SunsetSombra]

Vinyl was an explorer of the night life whenever she wasn't playing her own shows - the streets of manehattan, whenever she'd visited, were paved with good times - and as a pony who lived very much on the forefront of things, she had all the time in the world for places an' clubs that she's not had the opportunity to play in on her few and far between rare nights, or that would otherwise not have been a part of what was commonly felt by others externally as 'her thing'.

She wasn't a one track pony, to use an oft-abused pun, and Vinyl had a lot of affinity for various varities of music outside her own - and it was when her ears picked up some rather interesting sounds from the l'il place nearby to her that her curiosity piqued and she ventured inside for a casual glance, her normally donned shades not with her this night and her Cutie mark having been somewhat obscured by her saddle to avoid anyone recognising her at a distance. The only thing that seemed to bring any hazard to that plan was her mane colour, but she figured she had seen enough ponies have similar styles (either naturally or dyed) to be able to pass as a coincidence.

Most ponies wouldn't have taken Vinyl to be fond of music that she hadn't played in a set, but she was a musical pony brought up in a family of musicians who had taught her to appreciate all forms whenever and wherever she had the chance, and considering that this place looked like a nice place to swing by an' rest her hooves after having dealing with various tour and club deals for Manehattan over the last few hours. So long as nopony knew it was her, she'd probably get by just fine - well, that was the plan anyhow...

Venturing inside, She made her way towards the bar and waited patiently for service...scratching the tip of her muzzle as she pondered her order...cinnamon whiskey and apple cider combo seemed to be the most palatable thing to the mare right about this point in time, and thus this was what she made the bartender aware of whilst she settled down to enjoy the show - seemed like it was gonna be good, from the sound of the current musical number on stage, but it was clearly way too early for the DJ mare to tell.

[Snowshoe]

[colour=#DAA520]“Well, for a stallion who claims to be out of practice, ya definitely made that baby o’ yours purr, and ya’ve got a great voice to boot! Between you and Dissy here, I’m starting to think I’ve got Manehattan all wrong. I thought this city was full of nothing but boring ol’ stiffs hooked on purely technical tunes!”[/colour]

The mare finally took her shot of whiskey and smacked her lips, offering a mischievous wink to the green pony, [colour=#daa520]“And it seems your eyes are in the same working order your voice is in, if ya can recognize a great looker such as myself!”[/colour]

Timbre laughed, sipping his drink. "Ah, but, I am not from Mane'attan, but Canterlot. I zimply travel, wherever zee wind blows..." he thought it over for a moment. "I s'ink zat is 'ow zat idiom goes, oui?" he was still learning the language, even after all these years, and sometimes got the little turns of phrases and idioms mixed up.

He laughed again at her flirting, winking back. "It is true what zay say, zat we Fancy ponies 'ave an eye for beauty." He sipped his drink again and simply smiled.

"As for you Timbre," Oil Wells spoke with a fullness as if addressing another business pony, but the humor obvious seeping out in the cracks, "If you are offering to teach me, I might have to take you up on that some day."

"Bien oui! Certainment! I only know zee contrebasse and zee scat singing, but per'aps one of zose are somes'ing you are good at? Of course...would 'ave to 'ave at least a small amount of bits involved...I 'ave to eat, after all," the green stallion said with a mischievous grin. He didn't mind teaching at all, if the other stallion was ready to learn, but as he'd said, he did have to pay for travel expenses, food, a roof over his head every now and again. All the usual things of a traveller such as himself.

[colour=#daa520]“Oh, sir Timbre!”[/colour] Riff exclaimed, [colour=#daa520]“You have guessed correctly!”[/colour]

[Musical interlude goes here]

[colour=#daa520]“So, d’ya believe me to be a singer now?”[/colour]

Timbre Swing listened in to the mare as she began to sing, raising an eyebrow as he watched. She was talented, very much so. He was quite the singer himself, but in a much different fashion than her. He was more for the upbeat, fast rhythms, with more pop to his vowels instead of a rich, warm tone like Riff's. That he got from his bass when he played, instead of his voice.

When she finished, he drummed his hooves on the table in applause. "Magnifique! Absolument magnifique!" he said with a grin. "Madamme Riff, zat was quite incredible. Per'aps, before zee night is s'rough, you would 'onour me with a duet?" he asked.

He looked down the bar at the mare who walked in. She seemed a little familiar, but then again, he'd visited enough clubs in his lifetime, and she just looked like the average club-goer. He looked back at Riff, then waited for her answer.

[starswirlthebearded]

Harmony was taken in by the energetic company she was with. at this point she was just itching to get up and play again. However she elected to stay with the conversation. She was especially taken with Birdy who just lived and breathed energy, an energy that Harmony could only merely emulate on stage. She didn't have that sort of energy for every day affairs. She'd probably sleep for a week if she was anything like Birdy off the stage. As it stood Harmony would pass out after long sets if she wasn't given time to rest!

[colour=#DAA520]“Dissy, huh?”[/colour][colour=#282828] Riff asked with a lopsided smile, [/colour][colour=#DAA520]“Doesn’t sound half bad – Dissy and Birdy, jazz mares extraordinaire!”[/colour]

[colour=#282828]As she said it, the jazzy mare struck a tacky pose, flicking her voluminous mane with her hoof before bursting into a small peal of laughter.[/colour]

[colour=#DAA520]“We’d be stars!”[/colour]

Harmony felt weird hearing another pony call her by the name only her mentor called her up until now. But the way she said it made Harmony smile.

[colour=#330066]"Heh, I'm not sure about all that"[/colour] Harmony said with a smile. [colour=#330066]"I just play because I love playing. But hey! I wouldn't mind travelin' around with a talented mare like yourself! And if we happen to get famous along the way, well I won't mind."[/colour]

Then Oil Wells turned to the young mare and spoke to her about her philosophy. Though he paused for a bit... Which left Harmony wondering what he was going to say. He after all seemed a bit like a stiff. Though he was at the very least able to make jokes about himself.

[colour=#282828]"Then, if you don't mind me saying so, I suggest you never change that. If you want the key to happiness, not that I think you haven't already found it, its always being willing to learn, always doing what makes you happy, and always following what comes naturally to you...well, listen to me, sounding as if I am trying to be some sort of wise pony, haha."[/colour]

"[colour=#330066]Ha! Believe you me, I intend to! The music will be my guide until these hooves can't carry this mare anymore![/colour]" Harmony said with fervor. She was starting to think she had Oil Wells pegged all wrong. He seemed to be lightening up. Well anyone that would hit up a jazz bar had to be at least a little bit hep.

The door opened and a rather interesting pony walked in at that moment. The pony looked to be avoiding the crowds. Curious to say the least. As he eyed the stage it looked as if she was looking for a show.

In the meanwhile Timbre Swing and Birdy were chatting it up. With Birdy proving her vocal prowess. And there was a bit of flirting going on. Harmony smiled when she heard Timbre's suggestion for a duet with Birdy.

[colour=#282828]When she finished, he drummed his hooves on the table in applause. "[/colour]Magnifique!Absolument magnifique![colour=#282828]" he said with a grin. "[/colour]Madamme[colour=#282828] Riff, zat was quite incredible. Per'aps, before zee night is s'rough, you would 'onour me with a duet?" he asked.[/colour]

"[colour=#330066]Hey, that mare over there is eyeing the stage. If she's lookin' for a show, I think skipping the duet and doing a trio would blow their socks off. Whaddya say you two? If you're done flirting I think we can blow the roof offa this joint. It'll make a heck of a crazy jam session, that's for sure![/colour]" Harmony said with a bit of a mischievous smile, like she was going to play like a mare possessed. Not only was she surrounded by talented musicians but there was also someone who looked like they were looking for a good stage show. And Harmony was itching to show it to them. With Birdy and Timbre accompanying there was no way this night wouldn't be one to remember.

[SunsetSombra]

For the moment, Vinyl was mostly interested in keeping herself relatively low key, and thus she took her drink to a table that was mostly unoccupied, giving a small nod at the unicorn who was the only resident...who simply raised an eyebrow and goes back to reading his book. She chuckled slightly to herself as she took a sip of the drink she possessed and cast her eyes back around the room.

The crowd seemed to be fairly lively during the moments music wasn't playing - the unicorn mare loved to immerse herself in the rabble, the hordes of entertainment-seeking ponies talking amongst themselves was a sight she herself had seen many a time in the clubs and parties of all where she'd played throughout Equestria, and she couldn't help but smile softly to herself, enjoying the hubbub...the maelstrom of the crowd chatter almost felt homely to her.

Still, there wasn't much else to focus on for the time being so she simply let herself be taken in by the ambience, and decided that it was much better to just see what fate had in store for her on this entirely average evening...the prospect of further musical enjoyment already giving her much to look forward to!

[Elderflower]

There were many ponies coming and going that evening, but it was a combination of the dim lighting and subdued palette of the bar’s interior and patrons that immediately drew Riff’s eyes away from her company and towards a hip looking gal entering the scene. She carried with her an air of reservation, as though she wanted to keep to herself, but something told Riff that there was something more to the unicorn with the electric blue mane that she couldn’t quite put her hoof on. Either way, it was of no concern to her – she was surrounded by friendly folk who were making for great conversation!

[colour=#4b0082]<"Heh, I'm not sure about all that" Harmony said with a smile. "I just play because I love playing. But hey! I wouldn't mind travelin' around with a talented mare like yourself! And if we happen to get famous along the way, well I won't mind.">[/colour]

The coffee-hued mare let out a wide, vicious grin at her new companion, hitting her hoof on the table with delight. There was enough force to jostle the glasses about, but fortunately they remained upright.

[colour=#daa520]“Ya mean that?” she asked, wide-eyed and ecstatic, like a foal just seeing her first snowfall, “Travelin' and singing is how I live my life, and I’ve met great folks along the way, but never anypony who wanted t'in on my journey! I’d be honoured, Dissy!”[/colour]

The crazy talent, the friendliness, and the way she talked about jazz and the way she let the music guide her…Dissy just continued to become more and more of a fascination to Riff Run. She grew more and more certain with each moment that the two would become fast friends in no time.

[colour=#006400]<"Ah, but, I am not from Mane'attan, but Canterlot. I zimply travel, wherever zee wind blows... I s'ink zat is 'ow zat idiom goes,oui?...It is true what zay say, zat we Fancy ponies 'ave an eye for beauty.”>[/colour]

Coming down off her high burst of energy at Dissy’s mention of partnering up, Riff flashed yet another beaming smile at Timbre. If she kept this up, she could probably add traveling strong man to her CV – using her smiling muscles alone to lift massive barbells! Though truth be told, it’s a rare thing indeed to see Riff without a big, generous smile.

[colour=#daa520]“It seems like we driftin’ jazz ponies have all been drawn t’Manehattan tonight,”[/colour] she said, winking at Oil, [colour=#daa520]“plus one mustache model. What a lucky turn of events!”[/colour]

To Timbre’s final comment the jazz singer offered only another mischievous wink before turning back to Oil.

[colour=#000080]<"Well, I'm glad you see something more in me than a business stiff and while I do appreciate the compliments towards my mustache, I'm afraid that isn't my particular talent, but trust me I do have one, it’s just along some very different lines haha.">[/colour]

[colour=#daa520]“Huh. Well, I don’t know this mysterious talent o’ yours so I’m stickin’ with th’mustache,”[/colour] Riff replied with an arched brow and a lopsided smirk, [colour=#daa520]“The Mysterious Mustachioed Oil Wells!”[/colour]

[colour=#006400]<"Magnifique! Absolument magnifique! Madamme Riff, zat was quite incredible. Per'aps, before zee night is s'rough, you would 'onour me with a duet?”>[/colour]

[colour=#4b0082]<"Hey, that mare over there is eyeing the stage. If she's lookin' for a show, I think skipping the duet and doing a trio would blow their socks off. Whaddya say you two? If you're done flirting I think we can blow the roof offa this joint. It'll make a heck of a crazy jam session, that's for sure!">[/colour]

Riff Run was in the middle of taking a theatrical bow when Timbre spoke his proposal, but before she could straighten herself up and respond Dissy had beat her to it.

[colour=#daa520]“A trio? A…crazy jam session?”[/colour] the mare pondered, tapping her jaw with her hoof while she made a show of being truly unsure of what her answer would be (a horrible failure of a show, mind, as her eyes were sparkling madly with delight). Before finishing her thought, though, Riff merely let out a loud laugh and bolted for the stage, jumping the stairs and sliding towards the mic under the hot orange and yellow lights. She had her head down as she glided across the stage, and the moment she was in position she tossed her head up so her glossy black mane could bounce away from her eyes. With arched brows and a devilish grin, she gave the audience a wink.

[colour=#daa520]“Hello again jazz cats,”[/colour] she purred, tapping out a rhythm with her hoof, [colour=#daa520]“Prepare yourselves for a triple threat.”[/colour]

[Snowshoe]

[colour=#daa520]“A trio? A…crazy jam session?”[/colour]

[colour=#000000]

[/colour]

"[colour=#330066]Hey, that mare over there is eyeing the stage. If she's lookin' for a show, I think skipping the duet and doing a trio would blow their socks off. Whaddya say you two? If you're done flirting I think we can blow the roof offa this joint. It'll make a heck of a crazy jam session, that's for sure![/colour]"

Timbre Swing grinned, nodding. "Pourquoi pas?" he asked, standing up from his barstool. He trotted over to the stage behind Riff Run, hopping onto stage and retrieving his contrebasse. He opened the case and wheeled it back out, taking up a position and idly plucking out a simple bass rhythm as Riff tapped her hoof. This was going to be quite fun! A pair of good looking mares (though he still had his eyes on one), both of which could play jazz with quite a bit of skill, and he was getting to play with them. It was quite fun, especially to Timbre, who was still trying to get a bit more fame in the musical circles.

" 'ey, you there!" he pointed off to Harmonic, grinning. "Tu viens? We need to blow zee 'ooves off zee crowd!"

[OilWells]

Before Oil could make a proper response it seemed Birdy was off once more, Oil amazed by her complete lack of hesitance. The business world was filled with numbers, projections, investments, charts, data, and so on and so forth, so it often took months of information gathering before a single decision, of any form or importance, was made, but here it simply took the mentioning of an idea, something so simple and without weight like "we should...", and suddenly the universe was filled with movement. In Oil's world, the idea of taking a big risk was unbecoming of any serious business pony, but here risk was the only way to obtain a result, not that it seemed results mattered much to a group of wandering musicians. The clock's ticking was unrelenting for those who waited for deals to be finalize and contracts to be signed, but in the world where melody was king, there was only the moment in which they inhabited, something Oil wasn't sure he would be able to understand after years of being an obedient worker under time's watchful eye.

As Birdy approached the microphone, Oil could almost see the performing instinct taking hold, something he was quite familiar with having spent many hours presenting himself to possible investors and other business ponies. Its like something clicks and suddenly the noise dies down in his head as he becomes conscious of every movement, every reaction, every moment, and every syllable, the details coming together to form a persona, as if reconstructing his aura, hoping that his 'audience' would properly interpret the information and think exactly what he wanted them to. While it was clear from Birdy's mannerisms that the setting was not nearly as formal, the general idea still held true; performing, after a great deal of trial an error, becomes as natural as breathing when the atmosphere is right and on a stage in a jazz club buzzing with energy must have been just about perfect for Birdy to sink into.

Timbre quickly followed, most likely Harmonic would be next, already beginning to pluck at his instrument as its low-end vibrations could be felt through the room. Oil actually found himself quite intrigued; he had seen all three musicians play separately, all amazing in their own right, but now he would get to bare witness as all three would be performing together as a small ensemble of sorts, this opportunity of happenstance created by a mere juxtaposition of decisions and luck that formed a managed to bring all these ponies together tonight. Oil could truly appreciate the magnificence of such a feat, not only because it reminded him that this city was still full of surprises, but because it came at a time when he felt as if the world has left him isolated to sulk in his own self-induced misery. Had he not, only a few minutes earlier, been occupied with the worries of future decisions he would be forced to make when the sun had risen once more? Now look at him, his thoughts were purely in the moment as he sat anxiously for the show to begin once more, no longer weighed down by the distant frustrations of a world left behind in a filing cabinet.

"But what's keeping me here?" was a thought he had been turning over in his head merely moments earlier and he realized this way it. Not just the music, but the spontaneous nature of the city that made it almost feel alive, a constantly growing and changing thing that brought new surprises with its winters. Even if he felt the city was a bit stagnant, there was no way that every possibility had been examined by him first hand, and that brought a sense of infinite possibilities that made him well up with excitement. Maybe it had never been the city in the first place; maybe he had been so wrapped up with looking ahead, always focusing on tomorrow's decisions that the details and nuances of this dear old town had simply slipped under his radar. It never would have occurred to him the day before that such a night like this could take place, where a group of musician ponies would interact with him - an idea that he would have thought preposterous the day before - but lo-and-behold such a thing was happening.

Oil's eyes darted around the room, trying to gauge the interest of the rest of the audience when his eye was caught by a blue-maned mare sitting in the distance by herself and he felt as if he had seen here before. It was only a faint vague feeling, like a light breeze on the back of the neck, but it was so profound that it was almost unignorable. Oil, doing something he might not have considered on any other given night, got up from his seat and approached the young mare. He was in a similar spot before the wandering musicians walked through the door, sitting by himself, and while it didn't seem that the mare was anywhere near as tense or perplexed as he had been, the presence of the three who were about to take the stage had assured him that at least a little company was good company.

"Hello, my name is Oil Wells, and I hope you don't find it rude of me for thinking so, but I saw you sitting by yourself and figured it would be just plain good manners for me to come by and say hello," but he wasn't there to just say hello. The feeling of having seen this mare before (a poster? no, couldn't be) was really irking him and if he could put the feeling to rest, the better off he would be in the long run.

[SunsetSombra]

"Hello, my name is Oil Wells, and I hope you don't rude of me for thinking so, but I saw you sitting by yourself and figured it would be just plain good manners for me to come by and say hello,"

Vinyl found herself in a rather awkward position out of the blue - she wasn't exactly compromised, but there was something about this situation that felt like she should press carefully...although, honestly, she was less concerned about that than she had initially been at the start. Perhaps it was because of Oilwells smooth'ish introduction, or the fact that honestly it didn't matter too much to Vinyl if he found out that the mild mannered mare he was talking to in actuality was a well known Canterlot DJ known for kickin' things up several notches on a whole other performance spectrum.

She raised a hoof in greeting, giving a small amused smirk as he kept looking at her like she was some kinda ghost...she knew that look too well, it was the eyes of a pony trying to seek out the reason that they'd seen her before. She sips on her cider and reclined a little - deciding that, for the immediacy of the moment, she'd play along with this little scenario, and if this led to her being uncovered, then so be it...it wasn't like she didn't love the attention, afterall.

" [colour=#800080]Yo, How's it goin[/colour]'? " she asks with a quickly returned coy smile. " [colour=#800080]s'a pretty interesting place they got here - haven't had much of a chance t'check manehattans local scenes out in a while. [/colour]" well, it was half true - she DID perform here now and then, but her ability to check out the local watering holes an' clubs had been limited for time an' energy...hers was usually a much more energetic set than many of her ilk, and didn't often leave her with casual exploration time!

"[colour=#800080] Still, at least the nightlife is jus' as active as it's ever been...[/colour] " she proceeds to continue with her open thoughts. " [colour=#800080]I mean this place isn't quite as lively as some crowds I've seen, but...I get the feelin' they're only jus' warming up around here.[/colour] "

Vinyl looks back up to OilWells. " [colour=#800080]Heh, sorry...gotta penchant for bein' a l'il bit of a talker - 'specially in a comfortable atmosphere like this[/colour]! "

She mentally bit back on her tongue - sure, she wasn't fussed about blowing her cover for her own sake...that didn't bother her in the slightest. For the most part, it was for the sakes of the peace and quiet of the place - if everypony here realised who she was, no doubt it'd likely become a nightmare for those who'd come for a quiet drink an' some good music once all the buzz about Vinyl Scratch casually dropping by a l'il jazzy joint like this without any warnings or reason!

" [colour=#800080]How 'bout you[/colour]? " she posed to the stallion, an eyebrow raised curiously. " [colour=#800080]How's the night been for you so far, eh[/colour]? " the mare quries, horn aglow as she raises the Cider mug to take a sip. She was gonna play it calmly for the time being...but she wasn't about to make a fuss if he worked it out on his own - although, she was fairly sure that she hadn't given herself away just yet.

[OilWells]

Oil still had a little nagging feeling sitting in the back of his head that he had seen the mare somewhere before, but he decided it was best not to prod into it at the moment, the pony didn't seem to recognize Oil, so it was probably no one he had met personally before. He just took his seat next to her and tried to put the issue to rest for the time being until he felt it was a time that was more appropriate to investigate, for a lack of a better word. He just listened to the mare's response, nodding at the appropriate times, chuckling to himself a bit when she apologized for rambling on, even if Oil didn't really mind at all.

"Well, it started out a tad unsavory," Oil started, "but I guess I can say things worked out for the best. Most of the time I would be sitting alone and grumbling to myself about some unimportant nonsense, as I was earlier tonight, but lo-and-behold I've managed to meet some particularly interesting individuals tonight and here I am, talking to you on a whim, something I would normally be incredibly hesitant to do on any other night."

Oil stopped for a moment and pondered a thought before speaking it allowed, "I guess it's just one of those nights. You know, a juxtaposition of happenstances set in motions only to inevitably collide and create a series of unlikely events; paths crossing, uncharacteristic behavior, an unlimited amount of opportunities sitting right under our noses. Nights like this have a sort of...[colour=#444444]Je ne sais quoi about it...though I'm sure I'm sounding like an old mad mad stallion right now, and in my rambling I don't think I asked your name..." Oil Wells, even in his best attempt to leave the issue at bay, could have admired how well he managed to sneak the question in without seeming pushy on the matter, but he never cared much for patting himself on the back and the answer to his question seemed far more important.[/colour]

[starswirlthebearded]

Harmonic Dissonance smiled with excitement as her two musical compatriots darted to the stage and summoned her before she could even lift a hoof to make it there herself. She ordered one last shot of whiskey and downed it before heading to the stage. She gave a wink to the mare sitting at the bar.

Shortly after Oil Wells approached her to make conversation, but that didn't really interest her. What did was playing with two talented musicians. She trotted up to the stage, and smiled slyly as she flipped open the piano cover and opened up the back of the grand once again.

She started playing a few notes randomly in complete dissonance to get started. She winked and smiled at Birdy as if to say "Start when you're ready, and I'll follow without fail." She gave a nod to the intrepid bassist, hoping that he'd start with a simple bassline that could be picked up and worked with by all.

Dissy was ready to go wild, and blow the roof off the joint. She hadn't been so fired up in ages. It felt like the first time she ever played the piano, or the first time she played jazz. Energy filled the room. This was going to be a night to remember, and a night that would end with her probably passing out, but she'd enjoy it to the last!

[Elderflower]

Birdy kept tapping out a rhythm until her new friends hopped up on stage with her, and as soon as Dissy had the piano cracked open and ready to go the coffee-coloured mare reared.

[colour=#daa520]“Alright, fillies and gentle colts,”[/colour] she said in a low, smoky voice, [colour=#daa520]“Now that everyone’s here let me share a little lesson I learned when I was just a little filly.”[/colour]

She winked a golden-brown eye at the audience before turning back to Timbre and Dissy with a devil’s grin, her mouth still pressed to the microphone.

[colour=#daa520]“I don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing,”[/colour] she purred, then kicked a hoof into the air to give the other jazz ponies the hint – let’s kick it off with a classic!

[colour=#daa520]“It makes no difference/ if it’s sweet or hot,/just give that rhythm/ everything you’ve got./ It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing./ It don’t mean a thing all you gotta do is sing.”[/colour]

It was no trouble to slip into the song once things got going. For the most part, Birdy found her energy and eagerness driving her to lead the music. Once they were through with It Don’t Mean a Thing, she slow things down – played a little Black Coffee. Once she had been satisfied vocally though, she started switching things up - sometimes leading the others into vocal pieces where she could shine, sometimes stepping away from the mic to let the crowd hear what the pianist and the contrabass (plus scat!) hot shots could do. Birdy felt like she was on fire – something that always happened with hot jazz, and she was a veritable fireball on stage! Whether she was singing or not, the vocalist was swaying and bopping her body, moving along with the rhythm of the music all the while maintaining a mad grin.

While she was up there, more than once she glanced down to where the Mustache was speaking with the mare that Dissy had claimed they needed to put a show on for. She winked at the two of them from time to time as if to say [colour=#daa520]“How’s this for a show? Should we turn it up?”[/colour]. And then, just like that, she would be prancing over to the piano to belt out a few lines of scat. She’d prance right up until she was next to the pianist, rising up on two hooves to press up against her and dance with the purple mare while she played (careful to let her lead the movements and not to bump her shoulders or legs, lest she mess the gal up)! And then, after a few brief moments with Dissy she’d dance her way over to Timbre – though considering how much of a grip he needed to keep on his instrument she was even more careful not to jostle him. Instead she shoved her head close to his, still singing scat (and urging him to join in of course)! Nothing quite like harmonized scat to kick up the energy!

Birdy was in a mad dash across the stage like that the whole time they were up there! Singing, dancing, prancing, just going absolutely wild! One had to wonder where she found all that energy! Finally, though, she reached a point where her chest was heaving, her muscles burning, and she was burning so hot she was sweating! They had been on the stage for quite a long time (exactly how long she wasn’t sure), and it seemed like a good point to cut things off – for her anyways. So, panting, Birdy grabbed her mic and pulled it into her chest.

[colour=#daa520]“Well, jazz cats, that’s it for now!”[/colour] she said right into the mic as she hugged it, [colour=#daa520]“This little Birdy’s gotta stop her singing for tonight.”[/colour]

If the others wanted to keep on playing, they could go right ahead – but Birdy was pooped! She pranced to the end of the stage and leaped down, choosing against using the stairs simply because it seemed like a waste of time. She stuck her landing with a flourish, tossed her mane from her eyes, and immediately trotted up to Mustache and the weirdly-familiar-stranger.

[colour=#daa520]“Hey there, kittens!”[/colour] she called as she approached, nodding to the barkeep for another shot of whiskey – her throat was parched! [colour=#daa520]“How’d ya find the show? Hot enough for ya? Do I have t’redeem myself?”[/colour]

She laughed, then extended a hoof to the stranger before giving either of them a real chance to respond, “Heya stranger, the name’s Riff Run – but friends call me Birdy. I hope the lovely Mustache here has been good company while we put off our little show!”

[SunsetSombra]

Vinyl sat back and listens to Oil as he sounds off about how the night had been - he'd mentioned something about it starting out a little 'unsavory' and for a moment, the Unicorn pondered if it was worth asking for more details about that...quickly dismissing that, however, since it didn't really seem like something that might lead to a positive discussion. He then went on into describing how life had a funny way of making things happen, and she could only agree with a small grin on her features...

Oh, she could agree to this entirely, without a solitary doubt.

Of course, She now found herself in quite the situation - he was asking about her name, and that wasn't quite something she'd been prepared for right this second...she shoulda prepared some kinda cover or something to keep things from gettin' into the sticky situation that might result had. She takes a quick sip of her drink, a small tactic intended to stall for a little bit of time whilst she dreamt up some kinda name to roll with for the evening...

[colour=#DAA520]“Hey there, kittens!”[/colour]

Saved by the bell, it seemed, and not a moment too soon - seemed like she might have scored a small reprieve for herself - Vinyl inwardly gave a small chuckle of relief, as she regarded the new arrival with a nod, using this moment to reflect on a useable monicker for immediate use, hoping that she could at least think of something that'd work!

[colour=#DAA520]“How’d ya find the show? Hot enough for ya? Do I have t’redeem myself?”[/colour]

"[colour=#800080] I kinda caught the tail end of it, miss, but from what I saw....the crowd seemed t'think you were a pretty okay hit.[/colour] " the DJ says with a confident nod, giving the answer as honestly as she could. "[colour=#800080] I'm not usually one for a joint like this, but that's sorta 'cause I wind up in other places...looks like I gotta make some time t'be around this place more though, has a nice atmosphere.[/colour] " Vinyl added, givin' a quick wink to punctuate her approval.

“[colour=#daa520]Heya stranger, the name’s Riff Run – but friends call me Birdy. I hope the lovely Mustache here has been good company while we put off our little show![/colour]” the stranger had asked, holding out a hoof - to which Vinyl met with a small grin, shaking it in response seeing as that was the most appropriate response in this particular situation. She pretty much knew that she'd have to give a name here at this point...luckily, she'd been able to just about come up with a workable first name that should about get her outta dodge home free.

" [colour=#800080]Hey, nice t'meet you, Riff...the names melody, I kinda just drifted past here to scope out the scene and such - looks like I made the right call[/colour]! "

She felt bad about keepin' them in the dark, but she didn't wanna overshadow anypony here or make a scene...

However, she was a first and foremost customer here right now, and keeping herself incognito was the best way to keep it that way.

[Snowshoe]

If there was one thing Timbre Swing enjoyed, it was playing with a group. He was used to going solo, so being able to play in a little band was quite the treat. He made sure to keep time with Riff Run, who seemed to be the leader of their little trio here. He didn't mind at all: you didn't lead with a bass, even if swing music did feature it prominently, and he wasn't as talented a singer as she was.

He kept up his bass line, right hoof plucking furiously at the thick strings, his left hoof rolling along the neck of the contrebasse to hit the frets as he went along. He kept it energetic on his end, tapping his hind hooves and bobbing around behind his instrument, on occasion even spinning the contrebasse around on its wheel, and at one point dipping it low like he was dancing with a mare at a fancy ball. He popped the bass into an upright position afterwards, just as that attractive mare Riff Run made her way over to him, singing and dancing along with him. A grin on his face, he accompanied her with the scat singing, never missing an opportunity. She was good, but this was his specialty after all, though he made sure not to try and upstage her too badly.

By the end of it, like everypony else, he was sweaty and a little sore, but incredibly happy. There was nothing like music to put the spring back in anypony's step. As he watched Riff Run make her way to the mic to close up their little jam session, he played a quick turnaround on the contrebasse, letting the final, deep note resonate before setting the instrument down gently and taking a bow to the audience. Exhausted, he trotted over to the piano and grinned at Dissy.

"Merveilleux," he complimented. "You 'ave quite zee talent."

[OilWells]

Oil nodded his head in a friendly 'welcome back' sort of manner at Birdy as she approached them, giving the bartender a quick gesture to refill his glass, giving a quick 'thank you' as the bartender did so.

"The show was spectacular, my dear, a sort of high-point in the night," Oil spoke with a sort of reserved cheeriness, he waited as the mysterious mare introduced herself, Oil almost disappointed by the fact that he did not recognize her by her name either, but he didn't let him bother him any further, it must have been a feeling and nothing more, and to push the issue needlessly further would more-than-likely just strain Melody's night, something he had no wish of doing.

"Yes, I was just telling Melody about how strange, yes delightful, tonight has been, though trying not to bore her with any details," Oil took a sip from his glass, "though now that you are here, I don't have to try so hard at being interesting, haha."