An A+ For The Bee From Me

"Flight of the Bumblebee." A cappella I loved it. I've been dying to tell people about it since I heard Nick Lachey's Cincinnati choir rehearse it two weeks ago at Xavier University. I thought it was fantastic.

But is it enough to win "Clash of the Choirs?" I don't know.

Patti LaBelle's choir certainly is powerful. But her "Over the Rainbow" was basically her solo, and not much of a choir number. And Blake Shelton's Oklahoma City choir was very good. (Could the real winner be Shelton, who's humorous comments throughout the week could make him a big TV star, not just a country singer?)

I'll argue that Cincinnati's choir has been the most versatile -- more soloists, better choreography, a wider variety of songs, and the incredible "Bumblebee." And like Lachey, Cincinnati has a secret weapon: Cincinnati's huge reality TV audience. Cincinnati's Channel 5 has drawn bigger ratings for NBC's reality singing competion -- "American Idol" for show choirs -- than Philadelphia, Houston, New Haven or Oklahoma City. That might translate into a lotta votes.

If Cincinnati wins -- we'll find out tonight (Don't forget NBC has expanded the results show to two hours, 8-10 p.m.) -- I sure hope Steve Zegree, the Western Michigan University jazz professor (and Miami grad) who trained the choir and wrote the arrangement gets some recognition. The "Bumblebee" was his execution.

And even if the Cincinnati choir doesn't win, somebody should organize a local concert for the choir. Wouldn't that be terrific? It could be the hottest ticket in town. And I'm sure the choir would love to sing once here for us. (Even if Lachey can't make it, would Zegree come in and lead the choir?) It's a perfect project for Channel 5 -- the show was on Channel 5, it promoted Children's Hospital -- so why not do the concert as a fund-raiser for the Ruth Lyons' Children's Fund, which pays for games, toys and entertainment for Children's Hospital patients?

Maybe an arts organization or school would donate a theater for the show? Yeah, I know, the choir only know 7 songs.... but you could fill the evening with an audience Q&A where the singers could talk about their New York/TV experience, what they've learned, how this changed their lives, and Carrie Scott-Taylor could talk about how Children's Hospital has helped her daughter. And after the concert, the 20 singers could mingle with the audience and soak up well deserved adulation? Let us treat them like stars?

And then we'd get to hear "Bumblee" again!

What do you think? Will Team Lachey go all the way?