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The Best Of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol. 1
Earth, Wind & Fire
Columbia / Legacy Records, 1978
REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 08/17/1999
Growing up in the '70s, I was exposed to a lot of music that hasstuck with me throughout my adult life. I can still remember ridingwith my dad when he'd have to go into the office at night; we'd bedriving home from Lincolnwood, and Don McLean's song "Vincent"would be on the radio, soothing both of us. I can still rememberwhen "Sirius / Eye In The Sky" was not the introduction music forthe Chicago Bulls (as well as the music that introduced the bridalparty at my wedding), but was a bonifide hit for the Alan ParsonsProject.
And then, there's Earth, Wind & Fire. While I don't claim tobe any great historian of this band, Maurice White and crewprovided me with some wonderful memories while I was a child. Songslike "September" provided a pleasant kick in my day musically, andI looked forward to hearing some of these songs as I'd tune in theradio at night.
Their 1978 compilation The Best Of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol. I was recentlyremastered and re-released, including a new mix of the band's hitsfor the dance crowd of the upcoming millenium. While you might notrecognize every single song on this disc, it is an enjoyablecollection that sounds as fresh today as it did in the '70s.
White and his band of musicians (which included Phillip Baileyfor a time) were an interesting combination. They were danceable,yet they were not disco. (At least, they were not disco until"Boogie Wonderland," which is not on this collection except forsnippets in "Megamix 2000" and "Megamix (Radio Edit)".) They weresoulful, yet they were not pure r&b. They were a musicalmelting pot that welcomed fans of all different styles and genresinto the same dimension.
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