Soul Serenade: Earth, Wind & Fire, “Keep Your Head To The Sky”

Have you felt the earth shaking over the last few weeks? Giants have been falling all around us and that has set off shockwaves that continue to rumble through our lives. First we lost David Bowie, then soon after that, Natalie Cole, and Glenn Frey of the Eagles. There have been other deaths as well, including Tower of Power trumpet player Mic Gillette, and soul singer Otis Clay.

Then last week we learned of the death of an artist whose considerable stature in the music world was established a long time ago, and has never receded. Maurice White was 74 years-old when he died, after many years of suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. Although his health kept him from touring, he remained the power behind the juggernaut he created, and called Earth, Wind & Fire. What many people don’t know is that Maurice’s creativity extended well beyond his own band … (more)

Soul Serenade: Young-Holt Unlimited, “Soulful Strut”

In August of last year I wrote about the Ramsey Lewis Trio, and their 1965 hit, “The ‘In’ Crowd.” In addition to pianist Lewis, the trio included bass player Eldee Young, and drummer Redd Holt. The single was a huge hit, and the album it came from, recorded live at Bohemian Caverns in Washington, D.C., was a Grammy award-winner.

I have no particular insight into what happened, whether it was adversarial, or simply two musicians trying to make a name for themselves, but the following year Young and Holt left Lewis, and formed their own group, the Young-Holt Trio. Lewis soldiered on however. In fact, one of the replacements he brought in was Maurice White, who eventually founded the juggernaut that was Earth, Wind & Fire … (more)

Soul Serenade: Ramsey Lewis Trio, “The ‘In’ Crowd”

We tend to put music in categories, rock, jazz, pop, soul, etc., and all too often the audience for one genre does not cross over to another. It seems to me that this is a change from the ’60s when all kinds of music were melding together and everyone was into everything, or at least willing to listen. Miles Davis played on the same bill as the Grateful Dead. Harry Chapin opened for the Mahavishnu Orchestra. It was all there for the taking.

That’s not to say that once in awhile an artist didn’t manage to cross over in a big way. Lots of soul records were big hits on the pop charts. A harder feat was to put a jazz record on the charts though. There were only a handful of records by jazz artists that managed to appeal to a mass audience. One of the biggest of these records was by the Ramsey Lewis Trio … (more)

Soul Serenade: Ramsey Lewis Trio, “The ‘In’ Crowd”