EARTH WIND & FIRE – 05/04/12

Whilst EWF blazed the trail during the disco movement, it is impossible to limit their genre-bending musical vision to just this one word. With a foundation in funk, they also incorporated jazz, smooth soul, gospel, pop, rock & roll, psychedelia, blues, folk, African music and eventually a dip into disco. More than just versatility for its own sake, EWF's eclecticism was part of a broader concept informed by a cosmic, mystical spirituality and an uplifting positivity the likes of which hadn't been seen since the early days of Sly & the Family Stone. Tying it all together was the accomplished songwriting of Maurice White, whose intricate, unpredictable arrangements and firm grasp of hooks and structure made EWF one of the tightest bands in funk when they wanted to be.