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EARTH,WIND AND FIRE Maurice White - vocals, drums, kalimba/ Verdine White - bass/ Philip Bailey - vocals, congas, percussion/
Larry Dunn - keyboards/ Al McKay - guitars, percussion/ Johnny Graham - guitar, percussion/ Andrew Woolfolk - saxophones,
flute/ Ralph Johnson - drums, percussion/ Featuring: Charles Stepney-Moog Synthesizer/
Overall***
Maurice called on his old friend and mentor Charles Stepney (Rotary Connection) to assist with this project and Stepney's
contributions were not only significant they have endured. The other significant change was the departure of vocalist Jessica
Cleaves. She later turned up in George Clinton's P-Funk camp and was still listed a vocalist on Clinton's 1998 CD "Dope
Dogs".
EW&F displays their versatility to the fullest on this album and prove they are proficient in every musical genre
they attempt. Shades of the future are everywhere in this album. Synth horns and strings. Rap, world music, even hip hop beats.
The one constant with each song is the positive message. I would classify Open Our Eyes as a graduation of sorts for EW&F.
The first half of the album is a display of what the group had mastered up to that point and they transformed those things
into a more commercial sound.. The second half of the album was a preview of what was yet to come. Open Our Eyes definitely
put EW&F among the top R&B groups, but this was only the tip of the iceberg.
Later in 1974, EW&F teamed up with legendary jazz pianist "Ramsey Lewis" (Whom EW&F founder Maurice White
toured and recorded with in the mid to late 60's) to record several songs on his "Sun Goddess" album and the end
result was the biggest hit for Ramsey Lewis in over 8 years.
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