Here’s the third album from Roby and he still couldn’t get a good album cover. If viewed strictly by his album covers you would have no idea Roby did Rock/Pop. Anyway this is album is a little more pop than his previous two but I still quite like it. The only single from the album was “Can’t Let You Go” which only made it to #20 on the CCM charts. I truly feel that Roby was horribly underrated and I really wish I had heard him back in the 80’s but those album covers definitely prevented me from buying his albums.
Tracklist 1 – I Know You, Mister – 3:28 2 – I’ve Come Too Far – 4:08 3 – This Is Not A Game – 4:27 4 – Runaway (Say So) – 4:44 5 – Another Night – 3:51 6 – I’ll Survive – 4:01 7 – Talk To Me – 4:10 8 – Can’t Let You Go – 4:05 9 – It’s Up To You – 4:24 10 – Here For You – 4:25
Credits Bass – John Patitucci Guitar – Dann Huff Guitar – Michael Thompson Guitar – Steve Farris Keyboards – Roby Duke Keyboards – Eric Persing Programming – Eric Persing Sax – Bob Sheppard Cymbal – Bob Wilson Tom Tom – Bob Wilson Background Vocals – Carmen Twillie, Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters Vocals – Roby Duke
The day after Christmas, 2007 Roby Duke suffered a heart attack and went home to be with the Lord. Two days before this he was sharing the stage with his musician son. Many, if not most, in the world of CCM did not know of his passing, nor did many even remember what a wonderful artist they had in their midst for three decades. He was 51 years old. Never did Roby Duke fit the mold of pop star. He did not posses those album cover gracing good looks, he didn’t create music for “today” and he didn’t fit the Nashville scene. Even the rerelease of this great album sported a new cover without his picture and just a painting of a guitar! Though growing up in Mississippi he wrote and performed the music of a Californian wearing an Hawaiian shirt and looking more like a Jimmy Buffet fan that a killer jazz and soul musician and singer. His greatest accomplishment may have been never sounding like he was part of the Nashville machine. In 1980 he signed with Songbird records, a joint effort between Sparrow Records and MCA for artists with a decidedly mainstream sound or potential. Roby Duke’s music was so out-of-place in CCM, with its clear soulful and jazz influence and a cool factor that was through the roof. The album sported a host of who’s who musicians and vocalists including Hadley Hockensmith, Marty Walsh, Harlan Rogers, Keith Edwards, Dan Huff, Alex MacDougall and Rob Watson. How can anyone go wrong with two members of Daniel Amos and nearly the totality of Koinonia? CCM sweetheart Kelly Willard also appears on a great duet. Produced by the legendary Jonathan David Brown, the only artist even close was Bruce Hibbard who also added some songwriting support for the project. Tom Keene’s string arrangements are just flawless. The album also marked the increased involvement of the great Wally Grant, another engineer/producer that deserves a heap of praise for his amazing tenure of work. From songwriting to performance this is nearly a perfect album!
Kicking of the a simple electric keyboard and silky vocals “Love Is Here to Stay” makes a quick transition into a killer jazz groove that doesn’t let up for another ten songs. Driven by Hockensmith’s funky riff and the killer brass section the song is the definition of “put the top down” California coast jazz.
“Time to Stand” shows the strength of Duke as songwriter and vocalist. The simple arrangement is carried by Duke’s voice and Patitucci’s amazing bass line. This song oozes with cool.
“Season’s of Change” remains my personal favorite of all of Duke’s great songs here and elsewhere. Live this song was great as Duke was a very underrated guitar player and his upbringing on the bass lead to a “thumping” style acoustic guitar playing that was a real treasure live. This song lent itself to a great live “thumping guitar” experience. It was also one of the three or four songs from the album that stayed on rotation at KYMS for many years.
The ballad, “Carpenter” shows exactly what a great song in the hands (or throat) of a master can be like. The vocal inflections and willingness to let the song’s nuances deliver the feeling is shown perfectly here. There are times when his vocals are restrained in order to make the bigger moments work as well as they do in such a simple and lovely song.
For some reason the re-issue of this album replaced the title “Feel It Comin’” with “You Love Me.” It a great song and features Kelly Willard on a duet. Not sure why the change?
What should have become a praise and worship staple, “O Magnify the Lord” was just a bit too “jazzy” I guess. Lyrically it is nearly straight Scripture and the breezy Seawind like jazz arrangement is just stunning. Here we also get a taste of just how smooth and cool Harlan Roger’s keyboard work can be.
“Can’t Stop Runnin’” is a Bruce Hibbard composition that Marty McCall and Fireworks also performed. “Love is Here to Stay” is also a Hibbard tune. That funky yet smooth groove here just works perfectly.
“Rested in Your Love” is my favorite ballad from the album. Keene’s string arrangement works so nicely in support of Duke’s soulful sound.
The title track returns to the killer groove that are the hallmark of Duke’s music. The chorus just sticks with you and the backing vocals on the chorus really move the song. I still remember roller skating at Christian music night to this song. It’s disco tinged groove combined with the great jazz infusion is very good memory stimulator. The song, like the whole album creates an image of not only a time but a place in history.
The album closer, “Promised Land” is Duke’s finest vocals on the album. There is an emotional tinge that really shines through on this plaintive call of the Gospel presented in the lyrics. This, coupled with Brown’s best backing vocal production and arrangement, makes this call believable, authentic and musically realized. It has a real Bob Bennett quality to it. The slow vocal fade at the end just stays with you.
For all the criticism CCM has thrust upon it (some justified, some not) it is the lack of any real understanding of history and those that went before us a generation previous that frustrates me the most. This, I believe, stems from a Church (universal) that thinks Church History started when their Pastor graduated from Bible School. There is little to no sense of history within the halls of Christendom, so why should the music it creates reflect something different?
I should know better…
That is a such a shame!
But despite that the album remains of the best ever recorded in CCM and more than deserving of its placement in this list.
Contributor David Lowman – https://legacyccmsgreatestalbums.wordpress.com/
Tracklist 1 – Love Is Here To Stay – 3:59 2 – Time To Stand – 3:46 3 – Seasons Of Change – 4:55 4 – Carpenter (Do What You Got To Do) – 4:15 5 – Feel It Comin’ – 3:19 6 – O’ Magnify The Lord – 3:40 7 – Can’t Stop Runnin’ – 3:34 8 – Rested In Your Love – 3:37 9 – Not The Same – 3:57 10 – Promised Land – 4:15
Credits Arranged By – Harlan Rogers, John Patitucci, Jonathan Brown, Roby Duke Art Direction – George Osaki Bass – John Patitucci Drums – Keith Edwards Engineer – Walley Grant Engineer, Mixed By – Jonathan David Brown Guitar – Hadley Hockensmith, Marty Walsh Keyboards – Harlan Rogers Lead Vocals – Roby Duke Mastered By – Steve Hall Percussion – Alex MacDougall Photography By – Alan Bergman Producer – Jonathan David Brown Saxophone – Michael Carnahan Synthesizer – Rob Watson Trombone – Doug Wintz Trumpet – Ralf Rickert
This is Roby’s second album and his first on Good News Records. While his first album was a budget affair this one had some money. The album is mainly an easy listening project with a couple of 80’s pop songs for the younger audience. The album had 2 CCM charting tracks, “Come Let Us Reason” made it to #11, and “Watching For You” made it to #35. Looking through the credits it was interesting to note that Dann Huff played some of the guitar tracks. I swear Dann was on almost every CCM album in this period. Also interestingly credited for background vocals was Mister Mister. I can hear their sound on several tracks but truthfully I have no idea what tracks they helped out on.
Tracklist 1 – Come Let Us Reason – 3:38 2 – All Lost – 3:31 3 – I’m Persuaded – 3:44 4 – Watching For You – 3:58 5 – Fight The Fight – 3:15 6 – Win Or Lose (Callin’) – 4:00 7 – Here I Am – 3:49 8 – Closer To You – 3:14 9 – Lay It Down – 3:39 10 – There Is Just One Way – 3:34
Credits Arranged By – Harlan Rogers, John Schreiner, Roby Duke Arranged By [String Arragements] – Harlan Rogers Art Direction – Dan Lienart Backing Vocals – Kelly Willard, Mister Mister, Richard Page, Roby Duke, Steve George Bass – John Patitucci, Nathan East Co-producer [Associate Producer] – Roby Duke Concept By [Album Concept] – Roby Duke Coordinator [Production] – Teri Piro Drum Programming [TR 606 Roland] – Roby Duke Drums – Bob Wilson Engineer [Assistant] – Steven Ford, Todd Van Etten Engineer [Technical] – Tom Ferguson Executive-Producer – Freddie Piro Guitar – Dann Huff, Wayne Brasel Keyboards – Harlan Rogers, John Schreiner Lighting – Dan Lienart, Teri Piro, Wendy Duke Other [Chief Hoser] – Heeb Lee Otter Other [Cover – Sax] – Harry “The Ferg” Browning alias Dewey Jack Other [Location Provided By] – Bill Cole, Shirley Cole Photography By – David Randle Producer, Engineer – Win Kutz Saxophone – Larry Williams Synthesizer – Larry Williams, Roby Duke
This was Roby’s 4th album. I’ll be honest I had no idea who Roby was before getting this album. Considering his first album was in 1982 I would have thought I would have heard of him. Furthermore he wrote several songs for other bands in the early 80’s including Sweet Comfort Band, and Russ Taff. I have not listened to his previous albums but you can expect reviews of them in the future as I look forward to hearing them. As for the album it’s a synth heavy adult pop album with some pretty good vocals. I don’t honestly know if I would have liked it in 1989 but I sure like it now.
Tracklist 1 – I Try (Walk In The Park) – 3:40 2 – Dreams Alive – 3:20 3 – I Shall See God – 4:25 4 – Moon Over Me (Waiting For You) – 4:01 5 – Rain – 3:54 6 – Down To Business – 3:18 7 – Nonetheless – 3:27 8 – Modern Man (Want Will Steal Your Heart Away) – 3:57 9 – Maybe – 3:23 10 – Thief On The Hill – 4:18
Credits Backing Vocals – Alfie Silas, Angie Alan, Bill North, Cindy Cruse-Miner, Don Wallace, Tim Miner Bass – John Patitucci Drums – John Robinson Executive-Producer – Teri Piro Guitar – Marty Walsh, Paul Jackson Jr. Keyboards – Richard Souther Percussion – Alex Acuña Producer [Associate] – Win Kutz Producer [Associate], Synthesizer – Eric Persing Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Roby Duke Saxophone, Electronic Wind Instrument – Steve Tavaglione
