Product Description

Originally released in 1977, ALL IN ALL shows Earth, Wind &Fire breaking out of their previous funk/R&B mold and incorporating touches of world music to their sound. The result is a landmark album that sounds just as fresh more than 20 years later. A visit to Argentina and Brazil helped Maurice White and the gang inject some new influences into the recording of ALL IN ALL.
Opener "Serpentine Fire" is highlightedby Maurice's Latin percussion arrangement. "Fantasy", whichfeatures Philip Bailey's soaring vocals, is simply one of the great funk songs of the era. "Jupiter" features a tight, blasting horn section. "I'll Write a Song for You" is a smooth ballad with tender harmonies and strings. The album concludes with a live version of "Brazilian Rhyme", one of three bonus tracks included on this reissue. If you're only familiar with Earth, Wind & Fire's radio hits, pick up ALL IN ALL.The harmonies, grooves and top-notch production will make you a believer.

Track Listing

1. Runnin'
2. Brazilian Rhyme (2)
3. Be Ever Wonderful
4. Serpentine Fire
5. Fantasy
6. In The Marketplace
7. Jupiter
8. Love's Holiday
9. Brazilian Rhyme
10. I'll Write A Song For You
11. Magic Mind
12. Do You Mind
13. Runnin' (2)
14. Brazilian Rhyme (3)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #77650 in Music
• Released on: 1999-07-26
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Not exactly a concept album, All 'n All (1977) nevertheless was Earth, Wind & Fire's biggest attempt yet at making a big statement. With several interludes providing musical links--and cultural and spiritual heavies such as Shakespeare and Buddha depicted on an inside-cover spread--it had all the trappings of a major extravaganza, while keeping the songs at radio-friendly lengths. That those songs included the perfectly named "Serpentine Fire" and the Stevie-Wonder-style brotherhood anthem "Fantasy" helped make the record one of EW&F's most popular: as of the mid 90s, three million copies had been sent out. This sparkling remaster includes three bonus demo, live, and alternate-mix cuts. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

EWF at Creative Peak
This is EWF's most innovative album. They take their strengths of vocal and instrumental arrangements to the max. 'Serpentine Fire' starts us off with a bang and then it's onto the classic 'Fantasy' with its deep spiritualism and changes of pace. Segues are common on EWF albums, a gentle Kalimba rhythm leads us into the belter that is 'Jupiter' with its stonking horn arrangement, WOW!!! 'Love's Holiday' starts patiently enough before building into an impassioned cresendo thanks to Maurice White. 'I'll Write a Song' for you once again demonstrates Phillip Bailey's wonderful falsetto but then we have the two best tracks. 'Magic Mind' demonstrates early base synth and THE FUNK, you will not keep your feet still. 'Runnin' is essentualy an instrumental but goes from funk to chaos with a great touch of having 'Serpentine Fire' as if coming from a radio in the background. We finish off with 'Brazilian Rhyme' and 'Be Ever Wonderful' a track i recently used to test hi-fi and it made me remember just how good this album is.

WOW
This is an amazing piece of musical history, unmatched by any other music for its time in production quality and overall funkyness, only topped by the wickedy wicked sleeve artwork. I'm basing this on the original vinyl release, i havent heard the CD but i'll bet its a winner. 6 billion out of 5. (a star for everyone who should listen to this) corny but TRUE!

Brotherly Love
The warmth that is exuded from this collection of songs is quite overwhelming to say the least. This is music for everyone who loves happy music. Maurice White and his crew really created something wonderful here back in '77. This is essentially an album of dance music, but not of the mechanical kind, so often found in today's club scene. This is sophisticated and intelligent, something that is absolutely drenched in soul and furthermore, this is music that transcends genre. A true fusion.

All 'n' All's success is that it explores so many different types of grooves but is never a jack of all trades/master of none. Listen to track 9 Runnin' and you can hear dashes of 50's John Coltrane which I'm sure would please any die-hard jazz fan, mixed with Samba that Airto would be proud of. If you want to hear funk, listen to Jupiter. If you want to hear a beautifully sung ballad (and the voice of an angel) listen to Phillip Bailey on I'll write a song for you.

I got this album yesterday and since it's arrival through the post, have practically had it on a constant loop. I took it into work yesterday playing it to a few buddies, people with varied tastes in tunes, folks who are into Jazz, House, Hip-hop, Metal, Garage, the list goes on, but the resounding factor was that they liked the tunes on this album. Says a lot for joyful music such as this. If more people listened to these tunes i'm pretty convinced there'd be less fussing and fighting in the world.

Summing up, one of the happiest album's I've heard in years. Hope this recording brings my fellow listeners the same joy that it has brought me in the short time that i've had owned it.