1001 Albums Summary

As one who was weaned on EWF's spectacular live album Gratitude (Columbia 1975), this one was somewhat irresistible for me to scribble about. Hearing "Shining Star" kick-off (slightly slower than the live version), I was immediately reminded of two things: 1. That funk doesn't need to be especially uptempo to get "all up in you" (as Miles Davis used to say) and 2. That Verdine White is so perpetually underrated as a bass player. Sometimes there are deserving reasons for certain songs being hits. "That's The Way of the World" is a laid-back groove as cool as the other side of the pillow. It never fails to lighten my mood. "Happy Feeling" is new to me (I never had this album) but is a welcome musical introduction, Dig that kalimba. "All About Love" is a "snuggle close" tune perhaps as obligatory as it is generic, but it's very much of its time and band - and isn't all THAT bad. But what's up with that unexpected synth outro? That's exactly the kind of thing that makes me love EWF all the more. "Yearnin' Learnin'" is a total fave too. I only slightly prefer the live version on Gratitude for being just a bit more unrestrained. "Reasons" is a Philip Bailey showcase and as much as one might poo-poo it as another one to make the ladies swoon, it's hard to deny its greatness as just that. If I have a caveat about "Africano" it is that the "Africano/Power" medley that kicks off Gratitude is so damn ferocious in comparison, it kind of makes this version an "also ran." Still, if you don't have that to compare it to, this is surely a great song. The kind of thing that not only elevated EWF from being just another funk/pop band but almost served as a partial template for young contemporary bands such as Snarky Puppy and The Funky Knuckles. "See The Light" reveals some of the real magic and musicianship of the era. I've long held that 1975/1976 was not only a stellar period for just about all musical genres but also one of unprecedented cross-pollination between them. It was the heyday of fusion (the good kind). Jazz artists were dipping heavy into rock and electric synthesis. Many pop artists were trying to make real statements in their music with bolder structures and jazz-inflected chords, and it seemed like funk was getting into everything (in the best way). You can hear that adventurousness not just in the odd-metered intro but in the harmonic content and arrangement of this song as a whole. As it's hard for me to separate out my personal connection and outright love for the Gratitude album, I can't put That's The Way Of The World ahead of it. But it is perhaps a very unfair comparison in that Gratitude is a double album and admittedly more of a greatest hits (as many live albums are). That said, I have no qualms saying that if you only buy one of EWF's studio albums, this is the one to get. - Mike Jacobs