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Philip Bailey's `Dreams' come true on new CD: Earth, Wind & Fire vocalist returns to first love -- jazz
Kimberly C. Roberts Tribune Staff
A true artist must continue to grow, evolve and explore his craft, even when he is a multiple Grammy-winner with almost 30 phenomenally successful years in the business.
Earth, Wind & Fire's (EW&F) Philip Bailey, one of the most recognized voices in the annals of popular music is aware of that fact, and with his eclectic, jazz-influenced new album Dreams he not only acknowledges that concept, he embraces it.
"I think that you probably grow into a lot of things," said Bailey during a recent visit to Philadelphia. "Probably for me, being able to do a lot of different kinds of things musically, and have a lot of different tastes for music...and that goes way back to my Colorado days, I'm from Denver... I really wasn't brought up on a large diet of cultural music. I grew up listening to rock & roll. Then after Earth, Wind & Fire, they were my education into our music, the roots of where our music came from, with Maurice and the horn players teaching me a lot of stuff.
"This record kind of has a little of everything, with a very sophisticated musical overtone. I think that the guests that we have on the record make it even more special."
On Dreams, his ninth solo recording, Bailey's considerable vocal prowess is complimented by the creativity of jazz giants such as Gerald Albright, Grover Washington Jr. George Duke, Gerald Veasley and Everette Harp.
For Bailey, who has five children and two grandchildren, the mellow and provocative disc is largely a collaborative labor of love shared with his 27 year-old son Sir.
"Sir's a very talented guy," said the...