Earth, Wind & Fire: Greatest Hits

iTunes Review

Earth, Wind & Fire became one of the most famous groups of the Seventies, beloved for their ability to bridge the dance funk music of the early Seventies with the disco that exploded in the decade’s latter half. Led by Maurice White, the large-scale group fused elements of soul, jazz, pop, and world music, but its true specialty was feel-good hits that are as rich in arrangement as they are deep in groove. “Fantasy,” “That’s the Way of the World,” and “Reasons” are not quite disco, not quite funk, but pieces of White’s own creation, intricate tapestries of melody, strings, horns, and White’s soaring falsetto. The band was also sharp enough to adapt to any musical style and when they put their minds to playing straight funk, as on “Shining Star,” “Serpentine Fire,” and “Kalimba Story,” the results were unparalleled. They didn’t have as much attitude as Funkadelic or as much horn-and-bass bravado as the Ohio Players, but Earth, Wind & Fire wrote the best songs. For the five-year period between 1974 and 1979, when Earth, Wind & Fire seemed to be soundtracking the world with their wholesome ensemble funk, no single-disc collection better translates the spirit of the band.