What inspired Stevie Wonder to write one of his biggest hits?
A hit from Earth Wind and Fire.
Steve concedes the point in Questlove’s joyous documentary, “Earth Wind & Fire: (To Be Celestial vs That’s the Weight of the World),” which opened the 25th anniversary of the Tribeca Film Festival last night.
The Beacon Theater was strained to its limits as fans poured in not only for the film but a live performance that followed.
Robert DeNiro and Jane Rosenthal opened the evening, with De Niro taking a swipe at the “monstrous leaders” running our country. He didn’t say Trump’s name, but did say “you know who I’m talking about.”
The crowd exploded in laughter and applause.
But the real stars of the night were the famed R&B group, together now for 55 years although lacking late leader Maurice White. Still, Verdine White, Philip Bailey, and Ralph Johnson have acquitted themselves well since Maurice’s death from Parkinson’s in 2016.
Director Questlove, who knows how to put together great archival footage, lets the very out there, UFO loving, spiritual Maurice — an unabashed musical genius — tell his story in old interviews and clips. It’s quite a saga about how a Memphis kid who was abandoned by his parents picked up drum sticks and just started hitting the skins. Pretty soon he was commanding a massive group of musicians who were making celebratory R&B, and African tinged music who had hit after hit.
Maurice’s trajectory was not straightforward. It required experimentation, and a lot of regrouping. But in 1975, after a couple of minor hits and signing by the great Clive Davis at Columbia Records, the group hit pay dirt with an album called “That’s the Way of the World.” The first single, “Shining Star,” went to number 1 and stayed there for weeks. The album sold millions, and EWF was off and running.
The rhythm and construction of “Shining Star” was so influential that Stevie Wonder concedes on film for the first time that his 1976 hit, “I Wish,” is really just a new model built on the EWF chassis.
Over time, the group had many more hits from “Let’s Groove” and “Getaway” to what would become their all time anthem, “September.” As they got bigger and bigger, though, Maurice neglected including the band in writing and decisions to including outsiders like music producer David Foster.
The group began to sputter in the 80s, and had a long fallow period. Maurice released the other guys (including his magnificent star bassist brother Verdine). Johnson talks about having to get a manual job to support his family. But Bailey had a massive hit with Philip Bailey called “Easy Lover,” and by the mid 90s the group reunited and started over.
The real vindication is that EWF is still here today, on tour right now with their old friend, Lionel Richie, who’s among the stars in the film along with HER (aka Gabi Wilson) plus producer Jimmy Jam Harris and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Tribeca threw a swinging opening night party at Tavern on the Green, on a perfect spring night and buoyant music in the air. (The food was another story.) Among the guests was Tony winner Renee Elise Goldsberry of “Hamilton” fame, and Motion Picture Academy chief Lynette Howell Taylor. Plus there was a nice gang from the real world of music — famed promoter Ron Delsener, and former MTV honchos Judy McGrath and Tom Freston. Maurice looked down in heaven as his wife, Marilyn (a nice Jewish girl from LA) and son — each interviewed in the film — accepted compliments.
And of course the main trio of EWF — Verdine, Bailey, and Johnson — the latter has just published a memoir of his life in music. By the way she doesn’t take too much credit, but Verdine has been married forever to the former Shelley Clark, lead singer of the 70s hit group, the Honey Cone (“Want Ads,” “Stick Up,” etc).
And yes, Maurice — who was into every single New Age trend you can imagine — did actually claim to have been abducted by aliens on a spaceship. If only he were alive, there could be a cross over with Steven Spielberg’s new “Disclosure Day.”
Great film, great night, great work. This is one film I wish were shown on a big screen, but turn on HBO and start dancing.
