Okay, in 1975 I’m just another white kid living in L.A. listening to one mellowed out, guitar strumming singer-songwriter after another and still mourning the break-up of the Beatles. But I was also a Top 40 addict, my entire waking day underscored by hits pouring out of my little Sony transistor from local AM stations like KHJ and KRLA (anyone remember Dave Hull, the Hullabalooer?) And these included infectious, mega hit’s like “Shining Star” (#1 that year) and the title track, “That’s The Way Of The World” (reached #12) by the then new R&B/Funk band Earth Wind & Fire. EWF, founded by Maurice White in Chicago in 1969 the band is most remembered for its sophisticated cross-genre writing, tight rhythm arrangements, a blazing horn section and definitive vocal harmonies courtesy of White and Philip Bailey (many will remember Bailey’s solo effort Chinese Wall and the hit duet “Easy Lover” with Phil Collins in 1985.) Hearing these tunes again reproduced in this fresh-out-of-the-oven remastering by Impex Records is a revelation. Sorry to say, I don’t have the original vinyl but I can’t imagine it coming within a funky mile of this reissue. One expects great results when Impex Records and RTI collaborate with the original analog master tapes but if you’ve grown up only experiencing this music on the radio or Pandora, you’re in for a real treat. The tracks are alive with dynamics, multi-vocal articulation, buttery harmonies and a rhythm section that just won’t quit. I wish there was less compression and a bit more low end but these were common reecording/engineering characteristics for the pop releases of that era. Ranked By R.S. as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time it was the number one best-selling R&B album of 1975 and certified triple platinum. So grab those hot pants, bell bottoms and platforms and be prepared to get your groove on one more time–Impex has done this record proud. IMP6017 impexrecords.com
By Neil Gader
My love of music largely predates my enthusiasm for audio. I grew up Los Angeles in a house where music was constantly playing on the stereo (Altecs, if you’re interested). It ranged from my mom listening to hit Broadway musicals to my sister’s early Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Beatles, and Stones LPs, and dad’s constant companions, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. With the British Invasion, I immediately picked up a guitar and took piano lessons and have been playing ever since. Following graduation from UCLA I became a writing member of the Lehman Engel’s BMI Musical Theater Workshops in New York–working in advertising to pay the bills. I’ve co-written bunches of songs, some published, some recorded. In 1995 I co-produced an award-winning short fiction movie that did well on the international film-festival circuit. I was introduced to Harry Pearson in the early 70s by a mutual friend. At that time Harry was still working full-time for Long Island’s Newsday even as he was writing Issue 1 of TAS during his off hours. We struck up a decades-long friendship that ultimately turned into a writing gig that has proved both stimulating and rewarding. In terms of music reproduction, I find myself listening more than ever for the “little” things. Low-level resolving power, dynamic gradients, shadings, timbral color and contrasts. Listening to a lot of vocals and solo piano has always helped me recalibrate and nail down what I’m hearing. Tonal neutrality and presence are important to me but small deviations are not disqualifying. But I am quite sensitive to treble over-reach, and find dry, hyper-detailed systems intriguing but inauthentic compared with the concert-going experience. For me, true musicality conveys the cozy warmth of a room with a fireplace not the icy cold of an igloo. Currently I split my time between Santa Fe, New Mexico and Studio City, California with my wife Judi Dickerson, an acting, voice, and dialect coach, along with border collies Ivy and Alfie.
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