It was another tear-stained night in the French Quarter, heartbreak hanging over every street like a grieving fog. There was already a row of shot glasses on the bar in front of me, drained like fallen soldiers, but I still had sorrows to drown.
It was Amateur Night, when every cab driver with the ten-spot to get his horn out of hock took his turn in the shadows of Parker and Gillespie. A beady-eyed quartet shuffled on stage; with luck, they’d only butcher a few numbers before slinking away in shame. I ordered another shot and braced myself for the worst.
But then they started to play…
Like coolsville, Amy F.
Many musicians have drinking problems. In these hamster’s cases, it drinking overpriced boutique water.
But well done!
I believe this is the very definition of redonkulous.
I didn’t see that coming! Too cute!
“How ’bout it folks! Let’s give ‘em a ham!”
Do these guys have an agent, and if so how do I contact him/her? I would very much like to book them to play at Skippy’s 13th birthday party next month.
OMGPonies1111 I’ll be president of their fanclub!
You cats are 18-karat layin’ the boogie down! Play that horn, Daddy-o!
I love it!! They should get one to play the drums though…that would be SO awesome!
Scoobedywawa
Hamateur Night down at the Squeaky Wheel. The pay is peanuts.
and thus the term “Jazz Hams” was coined
The double bass and violin players couldn’t make this gig. It really hurts when your hamstrings give out on you.
[Ba-da-BING! -- Mike
]
Wonderful as long as they don’t start scatting.
This. Is. AWESOME.
I LOVE it!
I love this so much
that is SOOOOO COOOOOL!!!!! LOL
Pooey. I think it’s ‘shopped. (well, SOMEbody had to say it!)
No ham-fisted complaints from me, though.
skippymom-you mean Skippy’s Bar Mitzvah? Mazel Tov! You must be so proud.
Someone (well a few someones) had to create the music for that (so the hamsters could learn it, they are notorious for not being able to swing well on their own.)Well done, well done, well done.
Youth Orchestra Concert tomorrow at the Steppes of Central CT Public Library-at the Steppes, not on the steps. Full report tomorrow after!
I am in love with the trumpet hamster.. the *sniffasniffasniffasniff* part kills me.
Katrina, it hadn’t occurred to me that it would be his Bar Mitzvah, but you’re right! I must modify my party plans, and order a bunch of yarmulkes. What would you suggest I serve for food?
Best luck with the concert–maybe one of these days I’ll make it to one!
Can’t see the video at work, but that narrative has Tom Waits dripping all over it. Very cool, NOMTOM.
NOMTOM please write a book.
But where is the trombone? You can’t have a jazz band without trombones!
signed,
Proud mother of 2 trombone players.
Skippymom, “ham”-sters at a Bar Mitzvah? Might not be kosher.
Oh yeah, oops. Need to find another band.
omg you guys. the channel includes HAMSTER AUDITIONS!
HELLO DRENCH! There is one massive hamster fan here willing to spend ALL of her xmas budget on Clever Hamster merch……….. I want T-Shirts, bags, keyrings, calenders……..n stuff.
Awesome Ad.
@Martha – I agree with you, but I also feel that hams have arms which are not really well suited to using the slide.
Shout out for the oboe playing hamster!!
Jazz Hams!!
(Dig that crazy oboe playing ham…)
Hmm, I wonder what they spread over the mouthpieces of those instruments to get the hammies all interested in licking them…. I’m impressed with the patience I’m sure it must have taken the filmakers to do all this!
Hey Katie, I heard somewhere it was Peanut butter! Think that would get me working faster if they smeared it all over my Mac at work ;OP…………… gonna try that Monday!
Ham on the harp! Ham on the harp!
The most redonkulous thing is that the oboe sounded like a clarinet!!
Hey, I sent this one in, too!!! (stamping tiny feet)
PS:
You get a shiver in the park
It’s raining in the dark, but meantime,
South of the river, you stop and you hold everything.
A band is blowing Dixie, double-four time,
You feel all right, when you hear the music ring.
You step inside but you don’t see too many faces
Coming in out of the rain to hear the jazz go down,
Competition in other places,
But not too many horns can make that sound,
Way on down south, way on down south London Town. . . .
And here I was, expecting to hear some wailing like what when down in the cantina at Mos Eisley…
Great movie! Now, will the follow up be a squeakquel?
my cat enjoyed this.
That was cute. When I had a hamster, she never played an instrument. (Maybe she would have if I had bought her one). My cat, however, conducts the Razor Claw orchestra at his school. (Kitty-Cat Academy for Boys and Girls). He’s trying to teach me to read music. He said I’m one of his slowest students. He’s so bossy.
Yep. CO therapy. Every time.
Hey, QoD, do they look anything like this?
http://sexy-postcard.com/aw2k/LotImg42713.jpg
PS I believe that band frequently plays for gatherings of dogs playing poker.
“They are the hamsters, they are the hamsters of swing….”
This is a great video — and I don’t think it’s ‘shopped, really, it’s just edited creatively (that is, I think all the action really happened as filmed — i was just a matter of attracting the hamsters, taking LOTS of footage, and then keeping what worked).
And the introduction is a gem. Call it parody or tribute, it’s wonderful either way. NTMTOM, you are a master.
Even the comments (other than mine) are better than usual.
Kudos all around.
That MADE my weekend. That is THE BEST. Thanks CO for sharing this. I love you.
Utterly hamtastic! I have no other words. *wild applause*
So cute! and so talented! squeeeee!
Someone needs to put this video to the tune of the Cantina Band song from Star Wars!
The lack of CGI on this is an epic win. Just editing and a soundtrack besides letting hamsters do what they do best. Hamsters are the best at nibbling on something new.
Theresa: Yes! They look very much like that except they all wear black formal clothes. The Tuxedo kitties can get away with going nekkid.
Such great writing. You seem to be able to capture the mood of so many different genres in these short vignettes.
A++ Amy F. has some jammin’ hammies.
This is awesome!! Wow!! The hammy playing the saxaphone looks exactly like mine!! Maybe the Clever Hamsters could use a stunt double??
QoD: What, no bow ties on those tuxedo kitties?!
5: No. We could not do the bow ties because they would just untie them and run around playing with them. This greatly distracted them from actually playing their instruments and paying attention.
@Laura: LIKE
how do you not simply want to snrgleuf them
Adorable! it is so cute! I love it and so does my family!