Earth Wind & Fire: Gratitude

Proof at last that EWF deserve all the acclaim that's been heaped on them in the last couple of years.

Their previous albums were impressive, scoring massive sales in the States, but never quite capturing the full spirit of the group as envisaged by leader Maurice White. A little too much technique perhaps, and not quite enough soul.

Now we get to hear them at their very best and it's suddenly apparent that they knock most other "progressive" black groups into a cocked hat.

This double LP runs for just over an hour, three quarters of which is made up of eight live tracks, each from a different American concert.

While it might be argued that such selectivity presents the group in a flattering light, it does at least ensure good listening.

Most of the songs have appeared on their previous albums, but without exception these versions are superior to the studio recordings.

On songs like 'Yearnin' Learnin'', 'Africano', and 'Shining Star', their rhythms are stronger than before without becoming boring; their playing is more stretched out, allowing room for imaginative solos to change the moods; and above all, there's so much more vitality than in their studio work.

Contrasting with the funk, there's the Curtis Mayfield influenced 'Devotion', a straight forward soul ballad 'Reasons', the latin hit they had with Ramsey Lewis' 'Sun Goddess', and a lengthy montage of different textures which they call 'New World Symphony', all of which successfully convey their stage impact, as witnessed in Britain last Autumn.

Only their vocals let them down, for while high, light harmonies can be effective in the right context, they begin to irritate when every song is treated the same way.

The five studio tracks are a development of their previous work, providing an excellent postscript to the concert recordings.

Particularly good is a hybrid from Curtis Mayfield's Impressions and The Blackbyrds called 'Sing A Song' (already a hit in The States) and the title track of the album, which is a really fine offshoot from the Stevie Wonder branch of Funkology.

Probably by coincidence, and because of Stevie's influence on both acts, it's very similar to Johnny 'Guitar' Watson's recent American hits.

If you haven't bothered to investigate EWF before, start right here.