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The Savannah Stompers, a local jazz band recruited to play for "The Last Song" rehearse Wednesday. Front row, from left: Chris Miller, Bob Paredi, Royce Johnson. Back row, from left: Tom Olson, Wendell Kraus, David Train. Jennifer Robinson/ Savannah Morning News
Tuba player Tom Olson gets into the swing of things. Jennifer Robinson/ Savannah Morning News
Trumpet player Bob Paredi rehearses Wednesday. Jennifer Robinson/ Savannah Morning News
Clarinet player Royce Johnson rehearses Wednesday. Jennifer Robinson/ Savannah Morning News
Savannah Stompers, a local jazz band recruited to play for "The Last Song" rehearse Wednesday. (Trumpet) Bob Paredi, (drums) Wendell Kraus, (banjo) David Train, and (clarinet) Royce Johnson. Jennifer Robinson/ Savannah Morning News
The Savannah Stompers Jazz Band frequently gets the call to play for local weddings.
Soon, they'll be playing at one for Miley Cyrus.
The Dixieland band is scheduled to play for a wedding scene Monday in "The Last Song," the movie starring the teenage star and currently filming on Tybee Island and in Savannah.
"I didn't solicit Disney; it was the furthest thing from my mind," said band leader Bob Paredi.
Disney executives found the seven piece band through its Web site, gigmasters.com/jazz/SavannahStompersJazzBand. The band, formed by Paredi in 1995, plays "toe-tappin, get-up-and-dance music for young and old," he said.
Upon the request of Disney executives, the Stompers recorded a selection of songs from their regular repertoire.
Paredi said the executives were looking for one slow-paced song, one medium and two fast-paced songs and specifically requested "Up a Lazy River," "Mandy Lee Blues," "Copenhagen" and "Sidewalk Blues."
The band also submitted "Kiss Me Sweet," "King of the Zulus," and "Singing the Blues."
Which songs will wind up in the movie is still up in the air, Paredi said, but after three-and-a-half hours in the studio recording those seven songs, the hard work is all finished for the band.
They will only be miming the music during filming.
Which songs will be used in the movie is not the only thing Disney executives are keeping the Stompers in the dark about.
Wendell Kraus, the Stompers' drummer who also hosts the group's rehearsals in his home, said Disney officials are keeping much of the information about filming - even the specifics of where the Stompers are supposed to report on Monday - "close to the vest."
The musicians know to expect two 12-hour days of filming, to show up in tuxedos - their standard wedding wear - and that Disney will supply shirts and ties.
Kraus said he has never watched "Hannah Montana," the Disney television series that made Miley famous, but is familiar with the teen star because he is a fan of her father, country music singer Billy Ray Cyrus.
"I think it is pretty exciting," Kraus said.
"The Last Song" also stars Greg Kinnear, Kelly Preston and Australian actor Liam Hemsworth. Filming began in June and is expected to run through mid-August.
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