Earth, Wind & Fire (album)

Infobox Album | Name = Earth, Wind & Fire
Type = Album
Artist = Earth, Wind & Fire


Released = February 1971
Recorded = 1970, Sunset Sound Studios, Hollywood
Genre = Funk
Length = 27:58
Label = Warner Bros. Records
Producer = Joe Wissert
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:08qag40ttv3z~T1 link]
*Robert Christgau (C+) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=399&name=Earth%2C+Wind+%26+Fire link]
Last album =
This album = "Earth, Wind & Fire"
(1970) | Next album = "The Need Of Love"
(1971) |

"Earth, Wind, & Fire" is the self-titled debut album by the group Earth, Wind & Fire, released in 1970. The lineup is quite different from the one that became famous during the mid-1970s. This edition of the group would be disbanded after its second album.

The music on this album is much tougher and more raw than the sound the group later became famous for. The vocals are very much a collaborative effort. Leads are freely traded, and many lines are sung by multiple voices. Leader Maurice White, who would front later editions of the group, is content to stay behind the drums here, blending his vocals with the rest. Young Leslie Drayton, who would later gain respect as a jazz man, handles the horn arrangements. "Love is Life", from this album, was a modest hit for the group.

Track listing

#"Help Somebody" (Wade Flemons, Maurice White, Don Whitehead) – 3:37
#"Moment of Truth" (Flemons, M. White, Whitehead) – 3:08
#"Love Is Life" (Flemons, M. White, Whitehead) – 5:02
#"Fan the Fire" (Flemons, M. White, Whitehead) – 4:59
#"C'mon Children" (M. Beal, Flemons, M. White, Verdine White, Whitehead) – 3:08
#"This World Today" (Flemons, M. White, Whitehead) – 3:33
#"Bad Tune" (Beal, Flemons, M. White, V. White, Whitehead) – 4:31

Personnel

*Leslie Drayton - trumpet
*Wade Flemons - electric piano, Vocals
*Sherry Scott - vocals
*Alexander Thomas - trombone
*Chet Washington - reeds
*Maurice White - percussion, drums, vocals, electric kalimba
*Verdine White - bass
*Don Whitehead - piano, electric piano, vocals
*Phillard Williams - percussion, conga

Production

*Producer: Joe Wissert
*Recording engineer: Bruce Botnick
*Arranger: Earth, Wind & Fire
*Horn arrangements: Leslie Drayton
*Art direction: Ed Thrasher
*Design: Mary Ann Dibs
*Artwork: Russ Smith

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)