One inspiration for the title of bassist
Nathan East's second album for Yamaha -- third if the Grammy-nominated
Bob James collaboration
The New Cool is counted -- was the passing of
Maurice White. The
Earth, Wind & Fire leader is twice paid explicit tribute on
Reverence. First, there's a faithful version of "Love's Holiday," featuring
Philip Bailey in support, with
East's bass in
White's lead role during the verses. A slick "Can't Hide Love" fake-out and some other references are in the mix, too. Additionally, "Serpentine Fire" gets an ornate update with
Bailey and
EW&F partners Verdine White and Ralph Johnson.
Phil Collins' drums and
Eric Clapton's guitar are dredged from the master recording of an abandoned project, lost for 25 years, that was found in
Patti Austin's basement by
East's engineer. Given
East's continued predilection for uplifting wordless melodies, and the frequent use of bright horns, the uplifting spirit of
EW&F flows through much of the album. The
Ruben Studdard-fronted "Why Not This Sunday," for instance, sounds like it could be a cover of something from the
Faces era. The album's balanced mix of originals and reinterpretations, including another nod to
Stevie Wonder (with saxophonist
Kirk Whalum), connects it with
East's 2014 release, and so does another duet with his pianist son Noah -- the latter hopefully a recurring element of future recordings.
Yolanda Adams and
Nikki Yanofsky take lead vocal turns elsewhere, and
Chick Corea is showcased on the subtly soaring "Shadow," a throwback of sorts to late-'70s fusion albums like Secret Agent and
Friends.
East plays multiple bass parts on the majority of the songs, including a solo version of "Until We Meet Again," the conclusion. ~ Andy Kellman