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The songs: Stephanie, With Love Do You Know Him? Try And Keep The Pace To The Ancient Of Days Peace Silent Witness Joy By Surprise The Song of Joseph Lord New Beginnings

Bob Ayala
Joy By Surprise (Pure Joy Records PJ 102, 1976)

This album wasn't the only production of the era to pick up on a C.S. Lewis theme (the Second Chapter of Acts' effort is better known,) but Bob Ayala does a creditable job on this one. The music drifts further to the middle of the road than one would like and is a little uneven, but "To The Ancient of Days" well deserved the radio play it got on nascent late 1970's contemporary Christian radio. Produced and engineerd by Buddy King with an appearance by the omnipresent Al Perkins.

As Deacon Don Evans of Dallas' KPBC used to say, Bob Ayala is blind, but sees Jesus everywhere, and this album is a nice witness to that.

The performers:

• Bob Ayala: acoustic guitar, vocals
• Shirley Ayala: all background vocals except on "New Beginnings"
• Bill Baker: tenor sax; all string arrangements except on "New Beginnings"
• Billy Batstone: electric bass
• Virgil Beekham: electric guitar
• Robin Buck Choral: background vocals for "New Beginnings"
• Darrel Gardner Quintet: brass
• Dave Garland: piano, Fender Rhodes
• Don Gerber: acoustic guitar, banjo
• Pete Jacobs: piano, harpsichord for "New Beginnings"
• Al McDougall: drums, percussion
• Al Perkins: pedal steel, electric guitar
• T.B. Stringalongs: strings
• Mike Viccaro: oboe

Download Joy By Surprise