It’s hard to question Maurice White’s vision. Throughout the 1970s, White was crafting songs for his group Earth, Wind & Fire that were distinctly of the moment — with flashy disco flourishes and ethereal soul hooks and big funk bottoms.
The songs defined Earth, Wind & Fire then just as they represent the group now. But unlike most of the band’s contemporaries, Earth, Wind & Fire — which headlines Red Rocks on Tuesday — doesn’t sound like some washed-up anachronism when it plays its decades-old hits in 2011.
Like Sly & the Family Stone’s catalog, Earth, Wind & Fire’s genre- defying internationalist music is still as exciting as it ever was.
“September” still soars. “Shining Star” still bounces. “Let’s Groove” still slinks. “Sing a Song” still lifts you up.
But why do these songs still work — still groove — in a modern context while others from that era fall flat?
“Maurice was right on about the kind of music he wanted to make, and he made that music quality,” said Verdine White, a co-founder of the band and Maurice’s younger brother. “Some people like our music now as much as they did back in the day.”
The elder White’s vision was real: The band’s early sounds tossed jazz players and soul singers into a melting pot of African rhythms and pre- disco vibes.
When combined with the talents of Denver native Philip Bailey, the band’s lead singer, White’s concept fell into place — and Earth, Wind & Fire has survived more than 40 years of highs and hits, tragedies and commercial failures.
One of the group’s biggest losses is Maurice White himself, who doesn’t perform with the band anymore after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the early ’90s. White kept the news of the neurological disorder under wraps for years before announcing it to his fans as he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the spring of 2000.
“He’s doing good,” Verdine White said of his brother. “I saw him a few weeks ago, and I’ll go up to the house over the weekend. He’s been looking great.”
When asked if his brother misses performing, Verdine White said that Maurice has lived with the disorder for so long that he’s at peace with everything.
But is Maurice still producing and writing for the band?
“He’s still working with us, but he’s mostly listening and advising now,” said Verdine White. “Mostly it’s Philip and myself leading the band. But (Maurice is) very aware of everything that’s going on.”
The group’s bassist, Verdine White was only a teenager when he and his brother first formed Earth, Wind & Fire.
“I’ve been in a band my whole career, so it’s a natural fit for me,” White said. “I can’t imagine doing anything else. I’m way too far in.”
As Earth, Wind & Fire was finding its footing, Bailey was fronting his own R&B band in Denver called Friends & Love. A musical meeting between the two bands helped solidify Bailey’s place in music history.
“(Philip) was in a band in Denver that opened up for us, and that’s how we met him,” remembers the younger White. “And then he moved to Los Angeles, and that’s when we hooked up. I liked him as a person, and then outside of that, his musical work was stunning.”
Next year, Bailey will celebrate his 40th year with the band. And whether they’re playing music festivals or oldies radio shows, the music stands strong — as it has since Maurice White first cut those initial grooves.
Ricardo Baca: 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com; @RVRB on Twitter
Earth, Wind & Fire
Old-school soul/R&B. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. $51.30-$83.15.
