Essential Earth Wind & Fire [Limited Edition][Original recording remastered]

Earth Wind & Fire

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 30, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000069RJI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,235 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

While their name conveniently conjures slabs of fashionable late-'70s New Agey mysticism and eco-consciousness, EWF founder Maurice White couldn't have picked a more metaphorically perfect moniker for his mighty, genre-expanding soul ensemble. The 34 tracks on this double-disc anthology underscore White's downright utopian vision, which shrewdly stewed the emotionally compelling lead vocals and sweet harmonies of Motown with the earthy funk of Sly and the Family Stone and some slick contemporary jazz, then seasoned it with tasty dollops of Tower of Power horns and Maurice's (and brother Verdine's) curiosity in Afro-Cuban rhythms. Small wonder they became arena superstars. There is something to please nearly everyone in the EWF oeuvre: from upbeat, infectious groove-staples like "Shining Star," Mighty Mighty," and "September" through the transglobal "Kalimba Story" and "Ponta de Areia" to the gospelized "Open Your Eyes," their pop-savvy cover of Lennon-McCartney's "Got to Get You into My Life," and the dancefloor-ready collaboration with the Emotions, "Boogie Wonderland." Essential features new liner notes with commentary by Maurice White. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

Japanese Blu-Spec CD pressing of this classic album. The Blue Spec format takes Blu-ray disc technology to create CD's which are compatible with normal CD players but provides ultra high quality sound. Sony. 2009. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars We all know the greatness of EW&F..., March 2, 2004

By	W. C Donovan (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

...but the sound quality of this collection...well, doesn't make this so "essential." Prior reviews had emphasized this Columbia set not being culled from the original tapes, but I wanted to find out for myself. It turns out they were right.

The sound is anemic at best. This collection, though not in chronological order, contains timeless EW&F tracks, but with a compressed feel to them. Hence, a great injustice was done to one of the finest recorded bands in the last forty years, because their music wasn't given top treatment here. Maurice White may very well have been involved with the selection of the tracks, but he apparently had little input on HOW the tracks were mastered and from which SOURCE they were culled.

If you want an EW&F collection that truly obliterates the likes of this one, go with "The Eternal Dance." It may cost more, but you get a whopping 55 tracks on three discs (including some rarities) and a cool booklet with rare photos and informative band bios. But more importantly, you get a pristine sound quality, with all the tracks being digitally remastered from the original source tapes.

As for Columbia's "essential" collection, they probably could've done worse. But believe me, they also could've done a helluva lot better. Pass.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They Don't Make Them Like This Anymore!!, January 31, 2003

By	K. J. Bryant "peachycream" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is what I hate about R&B music of today. How do we come from such greatness as Earth, Wind,& Fire to horrible [junk] like B2K? The funny thing is most of the music from this collection is at least 20 years old, however it sounds better and fresher than what is on the radio today. All the classics and my favorites are here September, Serpentine Fire, Fantasy, I'll Write A Song For You, Let's Groove, Fall In Love With Me and Boogie Wonderland (With The Emotions). Maurice Starr is a true genuis who combined pride in Africa, funk, latin, jazz, R&B and rock to create this magical collections of songs. Also lets not forget P.Bailey has one of the greatest voice in R&B/pop history. Man, they don't make them like this anymore and its ashame!!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Second Best EWF compilation, August 15, 2002

By	T. C Lane (Marina, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As the latest 2CD budget priced item in Columbia's Essential series this is a good compilation on EWF. If you're looking for liner notes on this great band's history, you won't find much here. Just a few paragraphs. Which is why the Greatest Hits CD from 1998 is still their best compilation. It has liner notes and all their hits stuffed onto 1 CD. This is a good followup, though. It has all the hits plus some album cuts like "All About Love" and "Drum Song". The 34 songs were co-compiled by Maurice White and who knows the history of EWF better than him? As a fan I can think of some songs that should've been included. Album tracks like "Love's Holiday" and "Be Ever Wonderful". Also it would've been nice had they slotted EWF's last #1 R&B hit from 1987, "System of Survival." The latter you can find on the Eternal Dance box set. And the 2 previous album cuts can be had on 1996's Elements of Love ballad collection. The song info on this collection includes album and chart peak info. For the EWF newbie, either this CD or Greatest Hits are your best bets.