Earth, Wind & Fire Horns
The Earth, Wind & Fire Horns is the main horn section for the band Earth, Wind & Fire. The horn section has also played alongside artists such as Whitney Houston, P Diddy, Queen Latifah and Kelly Clarkson.[1][2][3] The horn section should not be confused with the EWF Horns which were the first main horn section from 1975 to 1983, later known as the Phenix Horns.
History[edit]
The Earth, Wind & Fire Horns were established in 1987 by Maurice White as Earth, Wind & Fire's new horn section. Composed of tenor saxophonist Gary Bias, Reggie Young on trombone and trumpeter Raymond Lee Brown the horn section at first featured on Earth, Wind & Fire's 1990 studio album Heritage.[1][3][4]
During 2004 Raymond Lee Brown left the Earth, Wind & Fire Horns to be replaced by Bobby Burns Jr.[1]
Solo works[edit]
The Earth, Wind & Fire Horns' trio performed on Whitney Houston's 1990 album I'm Your Baby Tonight.[5] They went on to play on MC Hammer's 1991 Too Legit to Quit.[6] The horn section also performed on jazz guitarist Norman Brown's 1992 album Just Between Us,[7] saxophonist Kirk Whalum's 1993 album Caché',[8] and Salif Keita's 1993 Amen.[9] The Earth, Wind & Fire horns then performed upon jazz guitarist Norman Brown's 1994 album After The Storm,[10] and his 1996 album Better Days Ahead.[11] Additionally horn section members Brown and Young played on Quincy Jones's 1995 Q's Jook Joint[12] and Babyface's 1996 album The Day.[13] On March 6, 1997 the Earth, Wind & Fire horns played at Ghana's 40th anniversary of independence gala held in its capital city of Accra alongside artistes such as Miriam Makeba and Joseph Hill of Culture.[14]
The Earth, Wind & Fire Horns later featured on British girl group Cleopatra's 1998 album Comin' Atcha!,[15] Puff Daddy's 1999 album Forever[16] and Lionel Richie's 2000 album Renaissance.[17][18] They also played on guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. 2003 album Still Small Voice[19] and Queen Latifah's 2004 The Dana Owens Album.[20][21] Additionally, horn section members Bias and Young featured on Anita Baker's 2004 album My Everything and Queen Latifah's 2007 album Trav'lin' Light.[22][23] The Earth, Wind & Fire horns also played on Kelly Clarkson's 2017 album Meaning of Life.[24]