The driving force behind Earth, Wind & Fire, Maurice White, is one of the most exceptional creators of music in the last 50 years. A man who not only formed Earth, Wind & Fire, he was also the chief engineer behind much of their success; acting as the primary vocalist (alongside Philip Bailey), their main songwriter, and producer in the studio. A jack of all trades, White kept with a vision that set the band on a path toward redefining the boundaries between R&B, Pop, Soul, Funk, and Rock-n-Roll. These are factors that have made Earth, Wind & Fire one of the best-selling bands of all time; sadly, the world lost White back in 2016 when he departed entirely too soon at the age of 74 years old.
A loss still felt 8 years later, fortunately White’s legacy lives on as Earth, Wind & Fire continue to perform live year after year with a sensational energy that White smiles down on. Devoted to Earth, Wind & Fire for over four decades, White also explored other artistic endeavors in his living years; this included production/writing for artists such as The Emotions and Deniece Williams, but also for himself as a solo artist. Working under his own name in the mid-80s when Earth, Wind & Fire was on a brief break, in 1985, White’s self-titled solo arrived to the excitement of fans with a mix of styles and emotions. Showing extraordinary diversity, the album featured several highly charted songs, including the lovely ballad “I Need You” and his distinctive take on Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me.”
Interestingly enough, this was the first and last solo album White ever put out, leaving many to wonder… did he have any more songs tucked away somewhere? That curious question was answered in 2020, 4 years after his passing, when a collection of music emerged for the public to hear through SoulMusic Records in association with Platinum Garage Records. Released digitally as a 12-song compilation under the title Manifestation, the offering consisted of songs that White had been working on with award-winning Songwriter/Producer Preston Glass. Exciting to find that White had a personal collection of compositions neatly preserved on his shelves, what is even more fascinating is that these songs were written/recorded over a 30 year period; so the mood, tone, and stylistic approach is quite varied.
If you admire White’s talents, this posthumous album, now in 2024, arrives on CD on May 3rd via Omnivore Recordings. Fully approved by White’s own label, Kalimba Entertainment, in cooperation with Platinum Garage Recordings and SoulMusic Records, it is simply the perfect way to honor him and his music.
Now, it goes without saying that while technology has offered the convenience of consuming music with ease through streaming, many would argue that physical formats are still the best way to enjoy music. Important for a true appreciation of the work put into something, it allows you the opportunity to have the tangible material in your hands to explore the artwork, read the liner notes, and slow down to take it all in. With this in mind, Manifestation is presented by Omnivore Recordings in a solid digipak with credits of all the players involved within the inlay, plus a booklet featuring a fantastic essay written about Maurice White and these songs by historian and award-winning Music Journalist David Nathan.
Beyond this, what is perhaps the boldest feature of this release is the 6 previously unreleased tracks. It gives you 18 pieces of music altogether to indulge in; each is of the highest quality in terms of production, performance, and songwriting. Very R&B driven as a collective, the tone is colorful, bright, and nothing less than uplifting. There is so much to take in, and some major highlights from the original 12 songs released include “Sweet Surrender,” “I Couldn’t Be Me Without You,” and “You’re Supposed To Say You Love Me.” Selected simply to show you how White could fit within any era of music, among the newly released cuts, the bold moments include “Keep Your Faith In Love,” with a very Earth, Wind & Fire sensation, “Spiritual High,” and the very smooth toned “Crazy ‘Bout.” This is while “Rekindle The Flame” also takes hold of you in a spectacular way.
In all, Manifestation is not a bunch of demos, but it is actually a fully realized song that is up to par with anything Maurice White has ever done. Amazing to consider these 18 songs remained unreleased for so many years, you also have to ponder, are there anymore? Well, there actually are. Because the word is, there were over 40 songs co-created by Maurice White and Preston Glass over 30 years ago! Doing the math, that leaves us with at least another album or two worth of material… so hopefully, they will see the light of day at some point as well. Either way, this newest expanded release of Manifestation is a perfect remembrance of Maurice White and his everlasting impact on music history, which is why Cryptic Rock gives it 5 out of 5 stars.
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