Earth, Wind & Fire
Gratitude

Taking its name from the astrological signs of the founding members, the percussionist/singer/session-man Maurice White, his brother Verdine on bass, and Wade Femons on vocals created in 1969 with Earth, Wind & Fire one of the most popular funk/R&B ensembles in the history of black music. Magically blending a passion for mystic-tinged spirituality and a nearly profane religiosity, with allusions to Christian monotheism and the rituals of ancient polytheistic religions (particularly Egyptian), the band immediately garnered fascination within the post-1960s Chicago culture, which was focused on the common values of love, peace, and the appreciation of feelings. The music and the unmistakable style that EW&F would later formulate originated from something natural and spontaneous, a state of transcendental trance that led the musicians to maximize their potential, stretching their capabilities to the limit, forging a product so enticing that it could be appreciated ambivalently but not contradictorily: that is, both as excellent chart music for making out and dancing, as well as a sweet and stimulating meditation towards infinity, towards humanity's most obsessive problems, as a celebration of life, sweat, and community.

“Gratitude” arrives in 1975, at the heart of a decade where the group was among the undisputed protagonists. Following the success of the best-seller “That’s The Way Of The World”, the band had just discovered that alchemy of elegance and energy that had lifted them out of the anonymity of the first five albums, which were appreciable but still somewhat insignificant examples of an unsettled R&B band in formation. In the wake of impeccable hits like the title track and wild pieces of gritty and roaring funk (see “Yearnin’ Learnin’” or the searing reflection on the show-business world “Shining Star”), White and company were asked to compile a live album to document the splendors and acclaim of the previous tour, their first on a global scale. Yet, the relentless and eager band, wanting to immediately let their audience hear the innovative pieces they were then working on for the upcoming release, decided to create a magnificent double LP with two live sides, recorded from stadiums across three continents and two with five unreleased songs. Thus, Gratitude was born, a declared act of gratitude from the band towards their admirers. However, the gratitude that emerges is more ours, the admirers, as we are made participants in the creative and emotional peak of hypnotic music, for some almost celestial, supernatural in its extraordinary quality of output.

Often defined within the funk pantheon as champions of the “white side” contrasting the “dark side” of their politicized ancestors Sly & The Family Stone, in reality, EW&F need no comparisons with the past or the future, but with their crowded present, dominated by dozens of valid rival bands, from the Commodores to Kool & The Gang, from the Ohio Players to the Isley Brothers, and Cameo, many valid names yet without hope of competing with their perfection and musical aestheticism. The incredible falsettos of Philip Bailey, the quality of the highly elaborate rhythm section, the intensity of the brass, and the surgical work of the irreplaceable guitarist Al McKay make the ensemble an unstoppable machine for sonic pleasure. You will be subjected to feverish and dreamy instrumental suites (the introduction of “Africano”), to splendid choral vocalizations accompanied by an enraptured audience completely at the mercy of a show that is both sumptuous, almost gaudy, but filled with substance. And what substance it is. “Reasons” is a jewel of intimacy in a rose sauce, the tale of a morning awakening in a young lady's bed after a disco night hotter than usual, the awkwardness of not remembering names, the regret of having to flee, clutching in your pocket the dim memory of that skin, that scent. And after moments of silence, Bailey sighs, walks on stage, and the song unexpectedly extends into a duet with saxophonist Don Myrick, a duel reaching the highest note, until silence. To conclude with the audience's enthusiastic roar. “New World Symphony” is the classic piece that alone can be worth the cost of an album: nine minutes of journeys to faraway worlds (forgive me Battiato), where the most varied temperatures are perceived, futuristic visuals or returns to primordial eras overshadowed by lush vegetation and devastating atmospheric elements. Then a return to reality, a third of the way through the track, it's like being back at the Apollo live beside James Brown, and finally, a new dive into nothingness, with ears overflowing with pulsating melodies.

We open our eyes again, and it's a regret that this half-hour of great showmanship is the only remaining testimony of performances so sublime and engaging. Luckily, there's another side to listen to, with masterpieces like the classic “Can’t Hide Love”, with an excellent interpretation by White and the joyous, very good times tail-end of the earworm “Sing a Song”. Two final gems: a bonus track consisting of a succulent medley from the TV program hosted by Natalie Cole in the '70s, flawless and moving, and the fact that the two discs are now combined into a single CD available at the modest price of 5.90 euros. Highly recommended for genre lovers, those seeking one of the greatest live performances ever, and for fans of mouth-watering music.