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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
EWF Live In Japan 1994: Maurice White Is Still In The Band!, January 2, 2005
For the last two decades Earth, Wind & Fire has continued to tour regularly, though they have not come up with much in the way of memorable fresh material to add to a legacy that provided many timeless performances from roughly 1973-1981. As such, on this 1994 Japan concert video -- one of Maurice White's last before illness took him off the stage -- all but a couple of tunes are from the above-mentioned era. However, the performances have too much vitality and freshness for one to think this is just another oldies act going through the motions. Accordingly, this DVD is a good option for those wanting to get a taste of the group near if not quite at the peak of their performing powers. By the way, note that there is also a 1990 Live In Japan DVD, just in case anyone is confused about which tour this video represents.
Although I miss the extended jams (e.g., "Africano") , EWF does offer strong, concise versions of mostly their greatest hits, covering the seventeen tunes in the DVD's one-hour running time (note that several songs are brief interludes), and performed with a full band including a horn section and two female dancers. The between-song moments are edited down, so you get wall-to-wall music which mostly replicates the sound of the original recordings. In general both White and particularly Philip Bailey are in top form vocally, and in-step with the choreographed moments. Still, although his performance doesn't suffer it is a little disconcerting to see White have this "far-away-look" in his eyes at times, leaving one to wonder if this is a sign of things to come (to be fair, it may be unrelated). Nevertheless, I find his presence to be crucial in making this video recommended over any of the post-White EWF DVDs in circulation.
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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Earth Wind and Fire Fires It Up, February 12, 2000
This review is from: Earth Wind & Fire - Live in Japan (DVD)
As a full time professional arranger/engineer/producer for both audio and video, I have to admit that I am harder on rating entertainment than most. This concert is sharp, snappy, well mixed and edited. This is classic EWF that looks and sounds good. As a working musician, it inspires me to produce energy on stage like these guys do. If you are even a non-fanatical fan of EWF, this is worth buying. If you are a big fan, it is essential. Definitly do it on DVD if possible. It is, after all, music.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The greatest of all time? This video says it all., March 26, 2000
If you've been to an EWF concert since the retirement (from the road) of group founder Maurice White, this video will show you why White was, and always will be, the driving spirit behind the band's success. Five of the original EWF members are here and they are all in great form, but White's energetic leadership is key. Unlike the 1996 release "Greatest Hits Live" which flies through shortened versions of nearly 20 tunes, this concert features fewer songs but concentrates on the group's legendary musicianship. In addition, the performance showcases White on kalimba and Andrew Woolfolk on sax, elements which once contributed to the group's unique sound and helped define them in the early years, but now will likely never be a part of their live performances again. If you are an EWF fan, this video is absolutely essential; if you are curious as to why many critics argue that they are the greatest live concert band of all time, this video says it all.
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