The Jazz Player - Episodes

#5205-41 The Jazz Player
Written by Michael Reaves

Synopsis:
After watching one of their old idols on Lin-Z TV, Jem and the Holograms come up with the idea of bringing the whole Taps Tucker Band togheter to play again. A friend of Jem who owns a Jazz recording label, is interested as long as they find all members of the old band within 24 hours. Eric Raymond who has a replacement deal, is decides to make sure the reunion doesn't happen.

Characters:
Jem/Jerrica and the Holograms, The Misfits, Synergy, Eric, Lin-Z, Techrat, Starlight Girls (Ashley, Ba Nee, Krissie, Nancy, Delaree) Mrs. Bailey, Mark Rockwell owner of a Jazz recording label Rockwell Records, Taps Tucker, Ace O'Toole the saxophone player, Joey London drummer, Dave Wilson baseplayer and janitor, Joe Lin-Z' camera man.

Focus on:
Jem, Kimber, Raya, Shana, Aja.

Locations & vehicles:
Starlight Mansion, VTV, Misfits' motorcycles, Chicago in Illinois, O'Hare airport in Chicago, airplane, Taps Tucker's apartment (an old hotel) in Chicago, Rockwell Records, Misfits Music, limousine, Techrat's Rathole, Joey London's apartment in Seattle, aja's rental car, Aces Bar in Duke's landing, Shana's rental car, Ace's fishing boat, Misfits rental car, arena in Houston, taxi, coast guard boat.

Songs:
"Jack, Take A Hike" The Misfits
"Trapped" The Misfits
"Jazz Has" Jem and the Holograms

Genres:
Action, Adventure, Humor, Message.

Original airdate:
15 October 1987.

Releases:
Released on DVD.

International:
Italy: Aired on TV. The episode title was "Il Suonatore Di Jazz" (The jazz player).
France: Aired on TV. Released on DVD. The episode title was "Le Joueur De Jazz" (The jazz player).
Venezuela: Aired on TV. The episode title was "El Jazzista" (The jazz musician).
UK: Aired on TV.
New Zealand: Released on VHS.

Trivia:
This is the first episode, according to the production numbers (or Aztec Enchantment according to the order in this guide), where Jem gets her new light blue makeup instead of the darker purple color, probably to correspond with the doll Flash 'n Sizzle Jem.

The Taps Tucker Band was one of the great Jazz quartets in the 40's. Lin-Z first heard the Taps Tucker band on a record of her grandfather's when she was only 5 years old but she still remember how "Night Train" blew her away.

For having such talent for music, Kimber doesn't seem to be very aware of old bands like the Taps Tucker band from the 40's. According to Aja, if it didn't happen last week, Kimber is not interested. But Kimber does think the music of Taps Tucker band is great when she hears it.

Taps Tucker still has his old trumpet from the time he played in the Taps Tucker band, because as he says, he can't play any other, it gave the band that special sound.

Taps Tucker hadn't heard from the rest of the band in years.

Joey London is in debt up to his ears.

Roxy and the Misfits think Taps Tucker's music is boring old stuff.

Lin-Z had only agreed to have the Misfits back on the show as long as they wouldn't case trouble.

According to Shana, Jazz was undergoing a big revival at the time.

Jem has a friend named Mark Rockwell who owns a Jazz recording label.

Synergy can uplink with databases in other states. She can download things and has a built in printer.

Stormer seems to know her way around car engines, as she could quickly and easily take out the right part in order to make sure a car doesn't start. After sabotaging for them, Stormer atually saves Aja and Joey from being beaten up.

The song "Jack, Take A Hike" by the Misfits is re-used. Previously appeared in the episode "Old Meets New".

Techrat considers himself an electronic genius.

The Taps Tucker band dedicates their first reunion album to Jem and the Holograms.

In the Real Ghostbusters episode "Transylvania Homesick Blues", written by Michael Reaves (just like this Jem episode), there is a projector of holograms. And both of these episode were first aired within two months from each other, although Jem had of course started airing as a series with stories about holograms as much as over two years earlier. Perhaps when Michael was set to write his Jem episode, or when he finished it, he just started writing on this Real Ghostbusters episode.