Andrew is 14 years old and lives at his grandmother’s in a poor neighborhood of New Orleans. His strict father is a major in the US army and is constantly on the road. His mother lives her new boyfriend in Atlanta and he sees her very rarely. Music is Andrew’s life and his brass band ‘Roots of Music’ are his refuge. In his band Andrew learns much more than making music. He learns about values and norms, knowledge that will him in his later life. But most of all, the band keeps him off the street. That is important because kids who hang out on the street too much often end up making the wrong choices. Andrew wants to become a musician and perform in the many amazing jazz clubs of New Orleans. But first, he needs to prepare for the world renowned Mardi Gras parade. He dreams about leading the Roots of Music as their drum major.