All-Church Picnic and Dixieland Band
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Again this year, for the 13th, 15th, or 25th time (depending on who you ask), the Joyful Noise Jazz Band led us in singing during our Sunday morning services and performed at our All-Church Picnic and Dixieland Homecoming in the afternoon. Founding band members Bruce Hilton (tuba) and Paul Hilton (Bruce’s son, on cornet) were joined by Bob Parker (trombone), Bruce Strangeland (banjo), Ray Walker (clarinet), and Tony Hill (piano). They sounded fantastic! We joined them in singing “Standing on the Promises,” “Over in the Glory Land,” “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” and other hand-clapping, footstomping great old hymns - including “Amazing Grace” in 4/4 time, Dixieland style.
Out at Stony Point, the band played some old Dixieland favorites, managing to work in a “homecoming” theme with songs like “Baby Won’t You Please Come Home” and “Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey.” The words of their closing song, “Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone,” asked us to do something that we just won’t be able to do. There is no way we can keep from talking about these guys!
