Jubilation (The Band album)

Jubilation is the twelfth and final studio album by Canadian/American rock group The Band. Recorded in the spring of 1998 in Levon Helm's home studio in Woodstock, New York, it was released on September 15, 1998.

For the only time in their latter-day career, bucking the trend set on the first two studio albums, Jericho and High on the Hog, there were more originals than covers on Jubilation. Songs include "Last Train to Memphis", featuring guest guitarist Eric Clapton, Garth Hudson's solo instrumental closer "French Girls", Rick Danko's "High Cotton" and the ode to Ronnie Hawkins, "White Cadillac".

On only one track, "If I Should Fail", do all six group members appear. Helm and Danko are missing from one track each, guitarist Jim Weider is missing from two. Richard Bell is replaced by producer/engineer Aaron Hurwitz on piano and keyboards for much of the album (Bell appears on just three tracks). Hudson and drummer-percussionist Randy Ciarlante are on every track. Friends and family abounded to help out.

A colored vinyl of the album was released in September 1998 in a limited run.

Track listing

1. "Book Faded Brown" (Paul Jost) – 4:12
2. "Don't Wait" (The Band, Kevin Doherty, Levon Helm) – 4:09
3. "Last Train To Memphis" (The Band, Bobby Charles, Helm) – 4:06
4. "High Cotton" (Rick Danko, Helm, Tom Pacheco) - 3:25
5. "Kentucky Downpour" (The Band, Marty Grebb, Helm) – 4:26
6. "Bound By Love" (John Hiatt) – 3:22
7. "White Cadillac (Ode to Ronnie Hawkins)" (Randy Ciarlante, Helm, Jim Weider) – 3:38
8. "If I Should Fail" (Rick Danko, Pacheco) – 3:56
9. "Spirit of the Dance" (Ciarlante, Danko, Helm, Weider) – 5:05
10. "You See Me" (Allen Toussaint) – 4:36
11. "French Girls" (Garth Hudson) - 2:07

Credits

The Band

• Rick Danko – acoustic, electric and double-bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
• Levon Helm – drums, percussion, harmonica, mandolin, vocals
• Garth Hudson – keyboards, organ, accordion, piano, synthesizers, vocoder, soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, percussion
• Randy Ciarlante – drums, percussion, vocals
• Jim Weider – guitars, mandolin, dobro, vocals
• Richard Bell – keyboards, organ, piano, vocals

Additional personnel

• Aaron Hurwitz – Producer, engineer, piano, organ, accordion, backing vocals
• Tom Malone – trombone, trumpet, tenor and baritone saxophone
• Eric Clapton – guitars
• John Hiatt – high-string guitar, vocals
• Bobby Charles – percussion, backing vocals
• Marie Spinosa – percussion, backing vocals
• Marty Grebb – keyboards, backing vocals
• Jim Eppard – tenor guitar, mandolin
• Mike Dunn – bass guitar
• Kevin Doherty – backing vocals
• Amy Helm – backing vocals
• Maud Hudson – backing vocals