During the 1970s, a new brand of pop music was born – one that was
steeped in African and African-American styles – particularly jazz and
R&B but appealed to a broader cross-section of the listening public.
As founder and leader of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, Maurice White
not only embraced but also helped bring about this evolution of pop,
which bridged the gap that has often separated the musical tastes of
black and white America.
It certainly was successful, as EWF combined
high-caliber musicianship, wide-ranging musical genre eclecticism, and
’70s multicultural spiritualism. “I wanted to do something that hadn’t
been done before,” Maurice explains. “Although we were basically jazz
musicians, we played soul, funk, gospel, blues, jazz, rock and dance
music…which somehow ended up becoming pop. We were coming out of a
decade of experimentation, mind expansion and cosmic awareness. I wanted
our music to convey messages of universal love and harmony without
force-feeding listeners’ spiritual content.”
Maurice was born December
19, 1941, in Memphis, TN. He was immersed in a rich musical culture that
spanned the boundaries between jazz, gospel, R&B, blues and early
rock.
All of these styles played a role in the development of Maurice’s
musical identity. At age six, he began singing in his church’s gospel
choir but soon his interest turned to percussion. He began working gigs
as a drummer while still in high school. His first professional
performance was with Booker T. Jones, who eventually achieved stardom as
Booker T and the MGs.After graduating high school, Maurice moved to the
Windy City to continue his musical education at the prestigious Chicago
Conservatory Of Music.
Additional information is available here.
Source: http://www.earthwindandfire.com
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