Earth, Wind & Fire - Raise! [MP3 320][h33t][schon55]

Earth, Wind & Fire - Raise!

Release Date: 1981

Columbia

Bitrate: 320 kbps



[Awards]

"Raise!" went double platinum.



"Born in Memphis in 1941, bandleader and founder Maurice White moved to Chicago as a teenager and found work as a session drummer for Chess Records. By 1967, he was the new drummer in the Ramsey Lewis Trio, replacing Red Holt. In 1969, Maurice left the Ramsey Lewis Trio, and joined two friends in Chicago, Wade Flemons and Don Whitehead, as a songwriting team which wrote songs and commercials in the Chicago area. The three friends got a recording contract with Capitol, and called themselves the "Salty Peppers", and had a marginal hit in the Midwestern area called 'La La Time'."



"Earth, Wind & Fire's true breakthrough came in the form of the soundtrack to That's the Way of the World in 1975. In 1974 Earth Wind & Fire worked with Sig Shore, the creator of the motion picture Superfly, on a new film about the dark side of the recording industry. That's The Way Of The World starred Earth Wind & Fire as "The Group," a new recording act. In the film, Harvey Keitel hears "The Group" performing, and produces their first album. The film's title is repeated throughout the film as a shrug of the shoulders to the music world. Earth Wind & Fire performed the songs in the film, and Maurice had a small speaking part as leader of 'The Group.'"



Raise! released in (1981) featured their hit single "Let's Groove", and the Grammy Award-winning "I Wanna Be With You". "Raise!" went double platinum. "



"My coming of age was in the 80s. Certainly my parents "schooled" me on vintage EWF. My awakening, however, was with this album. "Let's Groove," naturally, set it off for me. The quiet seduction of the slow jams and the syncopation of the upbeat tunes are unforgettable for me--"Lady Sun," "You Are a Winner"--not traditional EWF, but I love 'em. "



As long as they hew to a few simple rules--up on the tempos, down on the bullsh*t, etc.--there's no reason why these fellows can't turn their sparkling harmonies and powerful groove into a pure, contentless celebration of virtuosity. I mean once a year--at least in theory. But this is the first time the possibility's ever even occurred to me, which must mean they felt a show of strength was due. (Grade: B+)

- © R. Christgau/Village Voice



Earth, Wind & Fire - Raise!

01 Let's Groove

02 Lady Sun

03 My Love

04 Evolution Orange

05 Kalimba Tree

06 You Are A Winner

07 I've Had Enough

08 Wanna Be With Me

09 The Changing Times