“Danny always said it was the music that really brought him into the world.”

1.  Conversion on 13th Avenue

Steve Gillette, narration; Scott Petito, bass; Bill Shontz, clarinet; Jack Williams, guitar; Randy Wolchek, piano

2.  St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy) / Ja-da (Bob Carleton)

George Gillette, piano; Steve Gillette, narration

3.  Cordovan Boogie

Steve Gillette, narration; Mark Graham, harmonica, clarinet; Scott Petito, bass; Randy Wolchek, piano

4.  Johnny & Betty

Steve Gillette, narration; Scott Petito, bass; Bill Shontz, clarinet; Randy Wolchek, piano;

5.  Sunday

George Gillette, piano; Steve Gillette, narration; Scott Petito, bass; Bill Shontz, clarinet

6.  Sweet Lorraine (Cliff Burwell, Mitchell Parish) / Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Thomas Waller, Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf)

George Gillette, piano; Steve Gillette, narration; Jack Williams, guitar

7.  Your Feet’s Too Big (Ada Benson / Fred Fisher)

Who’s that walkin’ round here, Mercy
Sounds like baby patter, baby elephant patter that’s what I calls it.
Way up in Harlem at a table for two
There were four of us, me, your big feet and you
From your ankles up, you sure look sweet
From there on down there’s just too much feet

Your feet’s too big
Don’t want ya, cause ya feet’s too big
Mad at ya, cause ya feet’s too big
I really hate ya, cause ya feet’s too big

Your girl she likes you, she thinks you’re nice
Got what it takes to be in paradise
You like her face, you like her rig, but
Man those feet are just too big

Your feet’s too big
Don’t want ya, cause ya feet’s too big
Mad at ya, cause ya feet’s too big
I really hate ya, cause ya feet’s too big
My darlin’, your pedal extremities really are colossal

Peter Davis, clarinet; Steve Gillette, vocals; David Jackson, bass; Jack Williams, guitar; Randy Wolchek, piano

8.  Old Jim Crow (Steve Gillette)

Old Jim Crow, he don’t know
Plants his roses where the flowers don’t grow
Give me nothin’ I can use
Nothin’ but a lifetime of the blues.

Old Jim Crow, seems so long ago
Said he wasn’t never gonna trouble me no more
I got nothin’ left to lose
Nothin’ but a lifetime of the blues.
(c)2010 Compass Rose Music, BMI

Steve Gillette, vocals, guitar; David Jackson, bass; Bill Shontz, clarinet; Jack Williams, guitar; Randy Wolchek, piano

9.  Whispering (Malvin & John Schonberger)

George Gillette, piano; Bill Shontz, clarinet; Jack Williams, guitar

10. Basie’s Boogie

Rey Castillo, drums; Scott Petito, bass; Bill Shontz, saxophone; Randy Wolchek, piano

11. There’s a Cradle In Caroline (Fred Ahlert, Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young)

Dave Davies, trombone; Peter Davis, clarinet, alto saxophone, piano; Peter Ecklund, cornet and horn arrangements;
Steve Gillette, narration; Scott Petito, bass

12. Creole Belle Medley

Creole Belle (George Sidney, J. Bodewalt Lampe)

My Creole Belle, I love her well
My darlin’ baby, my Creole Belle
When the stars do shine, I call her mine
My darlin’ baby, my Creole Belle

Lazy River (Hoagy Carmichael, Sidney Arodin)

Up a lazy river by the old mill run
That lazy, lazy river in the noon day sun
Linger in the shade of a kind old tree
Throw away your troubles, dream a dream with me

Up a lazy river where the robin’s song
Greets the bright blue morning we can roll along
Blue skies up above, everyone’s in love
Up a lazy river with me

Sheik of Araby (Harry B. Smith, Francis Wheeler, Ted Snyder)

I’m the sheik of Araby
Your heart belongs to me
At night when you’re asleep
Into your tent I’ll creep
The stars that shine above
Will light our way to love
You’ll rule this land with me
I’m the sheik of Araby

Bill Bailey (Hughie Cannon)

Oh, won’t you come home Bill Bailey
Won’t you come home
She moans the whole night long
I’ll do the cooking honey
I’ll pay the rent
I know I done you wrong
Do you remember that rainy evening
I threw you out
With nothin’ but a fine toothed comb
I know I’m to blame, ain’t that a shame
Bill Bailey won’t you please come home

Darktown Strutters’ Ball (Shelton Brooks)

I’ll be down to get you in a taxi honey
Better be ready about half past eight
Now honey don’t be late
I want to be there when the band starts playing
And remember when we get there honey
Two steps I’m gonna have ’em off
I’m gonna dance off both of my shoes
When they play those Jelly Roll Blues
Tomorrow night at the Darktown Strutter’s Ball

Peter Davis, clarinet, tenor banjo; Scott Fore, guitar; Glenn Fukunaga, bass; George Gillette, piano; Steve Gillette, vocals, guitar; Cindy Mangsen, vocals; Paul Pearcy, drums

13. The Man Who Loves a Train (Steve Gillette)

He came in on Monday on the 5:18
Was about as tired as she had ever seen him
He went out on Friday on the Illinois Flyer
And his thoughts were a thousand miles away

She was a devotee of True Romance
When she met him at the high school dance
He could play that horn, he could be famous
If they’d only give him half of a chance

She knew that the odds didn’t favor
The woman who must remain
But she was bound to love that man who loves a train

And the telegram said,
There’s so much that I got to say    (stop)
I couldn’t tell you this the other day  (stop)
But I got that job with the radio band  (don’t stop)
I put down money on a place with a garden

She held her suitcase in her trembling hand
When that big eight-wheeler came a’rumblin’ in
She was in his arms, she could see that smile
On the face of a child of her own
She was more than willing
More than certain that love was never in vain

She was born to love that man who loves a train
And in the darkness with the rain and the drizzle
On the windows as the train slowly crawls across the trestle
She was safe in the comfort of an upper berth

He was holding her tight for all he was worth
They could feel that steel rail sleight of hand
Some kind of locomotive legerdemain
As they glide between the river and the rain
How she loves to love that man who loves a train
(c)2010 Compass Rose Music, BMI

Greg Artzner, vocals; Glenn Fukunaga, bass; Steve Gillette, vocals, guitar; Mark Graham, harmonica, clarinet; Kim Harris, vocals; Reggie Harris, vocals; Terry Leonino, vocals; Paul Pearcy, drums; Randy Wolchek, piano

14. Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (E.Y. Harburg – Jay Gorney)

Once I built a railroad, made it run
Made it race against time
Once I built a railroad, now it’s done
Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once I built a tower to the sun
Brick and mortar and lime
Once I built a tower, now it’s done
Brother, can you spare a dime

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell
Filled with that Yankee-doodle-dum
Fifty thousand boots went sloggin’ through hell
And I was the kid on the drum

Say don’t you remember, they called me Al
It was Al all the time
Say don’t you remember, I’m your pal
Brother, can you spare a dime?

Greg Artzner, vocals; Peter Davis, tenor banjo; Steve Gillette, vocals, guitar; Mark Graham, harmonica; Kim Harris, vocals; Reggie Harris, vocals; Terry Leonino, vocals; Cindy Mangsen, accordion; Scott Petito, bass; Randy Wolchek, piano

15. Good Old Wagon (Ben Harney, new lyrics Steve Gillette)

Now you must understand,
I’m a good lovin’ man
But that woman made a fool out of me.
Bless my soul, she was my sweet jelly roll
She was the sugar in my oolong tea.

Well she painted up her toes,
And she wrinkled up her nose
And she give me that cute little frown,
She said, you’re a good old wagon,
Honey, but you done broke down.

Charlie Green, why don’t you play that thing,
I mean that slide trombone.
You got the music to make a blind man sing,
You make a good woman weep and moan.
It’s a crying shame what you do to my pain
When you’re making such a joyful sound
You been a good old wagon,
Honey but you done broke down.

In the long run, when it’s all been said and done,
You don’t want to give your love nor money to the wrong one.
You better get yourself out of town
When that old reaper comes a sneakin’ around
You’ve been a good old wagon,
Honey but you done broke down.

Now that I’m out of pocket
I’m gonna pawn that locket
And follow my freedom dreams.
Gonna get myself a ticket on that southbound rocket
Out of Memphis down to New Orleans.

That river’s too thick to drink
Too thin to plow,
They got somebody else gonna worry ’bout that now
You’re a good old wagon, honey but you done broke down

n the long run, when it’s all been said and done,
You don’t want to give your love nor money to the wrong one.
You better get yourself out of town
When that old reaper comes a sneakin’ around
You’ve been a good old wagon,
Honey but you done broke down.
(c)2010 Compass Rose Music, BMI

Peter Davis, clarinet; Peter Ecklund, cornet and horn arrangements; Glenn Fukunaga, bass; Steve Gillette, vocals, guitar; Paul Pearcy, drums; Randy Wolchek, piano

16. St. James Infirmary Blues (trad.)

I went down to old Joe’s bar room
On the corner by the square
They were serving drinks as usual
And the usual crowd was there

On my left stood old Joe McKinney
And his eyes were bloodshot red
He turned to the crowd around him
And these are the words he said

Let her go, let her go God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this wide world over
But she’ll never find a man like me

I went down to that Saint James Infirmary
I saw my baby there
Stretched out on a long white table
So cold, so dark, so fair

Let her go, let her go God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this wide world over
But she’ll never find a man like me

Peter Davis, clarinet; Glenn Fukunaga, bass; Steve Gillette, vocals, guitar; David Jackson, arco bass solo; Paul Pearcy, drums; Jack Williams, guitar; Randy Wolchek, piano

17. Let the Rain Decide (Steve Gillette)

We took shelter from the storm
On her front porch steps
I placed a kiss on her upturned lips
And the morning glories twined around her door
Two shy and sleepy people not nearly satisfied
She said, “I don’t mind, if we let the rain decide”
I don’t mind, if we let the rain decide

Looking back over my life I could not ask for more
Those lovely morning glories still twine around my door
But sometimes there’s a sadness that cannot be denied
There are just some things you have to let the rain decide
(c)2010 Compass Rose Music, BMI

Steve Gillette, vocals, guitar; Nathaniel Parke, cello; Scott Petito, bass; Jack Williams, guitar; Randy Wolchek, piano

18. God Is Love (Steve Gillette)

If I had the wings of an angel
Over these prison walls I would fly
I would leave this world of sorrow
For a better place
When the sun came up tomorrow
I’d be gone

There will be no golden cobblestones
On the road I travel on
I’d sooner be a beggar and an outcast
Than the child of an angry god

I have heard the careful arguments
That the learned men profess
God is love, only love
Nothing more, nothing less

There are nameless constellations
Lost in the brightness of the day
That will play their light upon this rock
When the sun has burned away

But I will treasure the legends and the histories
And the difference between the two
Stories of faith sustain us
As long as we don’t claim that they’re true

And the poet and the prophet
And the parson must confess
God is love, only love,
Nothing more, nothing less
God is love, only love, nothing more.
(c)2010 Compass Rose Music, BMI

Greg Artzner, vocals; Dave Davies, trombone; Peter Davis, alto saxophone; Peter Ecklund, cornet and horn arrangements; Steve Gillette, vocals, guitar; Kim Harris, vocals; Reggie Harris, vocals; Terry Leonino, vocals; Nat Parke, cello; Scott Petito, bass; Jack Williams, guitar; Randy Wolchek, piano

19. Wade In the Water (trad.)

Wade in the water, wade in the water children
Wade in the water, God’s gonna trouble the water

See those children dressed in white
Must have been the children of the Israelite

Wade in the water, wade in the water children
Wade in the water, God’s gonna trouble the water

See those children dressed in red
Must have been the children that Moses led

Wade in the water, wade in the water children
Wade in the water, God’s gonna trouble the water

See those children dressed in black
Must have been the hypocrites turning back

Wade in the water, wade in the water children
Wade in the water, God’s gonna trouble the water

Greg Artzner, vocals; Peter Davis, clarinet; Peter Ecklund, cornet and horn arrangements; Steve Gillette, vocals, guitar; Kim Harris, vocals; Reggie Harris, vocals; Terry Leonino, vocals; Scott Petito, bass; Jack Williams, guitar; Randy Wolchek, piano

20. On the Sunny Side of the Street (Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields)

George Gillette, piano