Today, May 10, Grammy-nominated vocalist and keyboard player Nigel Hall (Lettuce) and fellow academy-recognized multi-instrumentalist and producer DJ Harrison (Butcher Brown) have come together with the shared intent to pay homage to the great R&B, soul, funk, and disco legends Earth, Wind & Fire. The Burning Bush: A Journey Through the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire fuses deep cuts and borrowed hits into one cohesive collection and is available today via Regime Music Group. Listen below.
The project was ignited by a mutual admiration for the musical icons–a spark that naturally led to the duo’s harmonious approach to the revitalized collection and revered legacy of Earth, Wind & Fire. Reflecting on their journey, Harrison shares via a press release, “‘Burning Bush’ is an album that reflects my first encounters with THE Nigel Hall in the studio…It was an energy that makes one feel they’ve found a distant musical relative and this record was the nucleus of our musical brotherhood that’s still active to this day.”
Likening their approach to the original deliverable, Hall and Harrison set out to reach listeners of all ages, using the updated songs as a catalyst for connecting generations, those that hold familiarity and new listeners. “Our hope is that the listener will use our renditions to research the originals and how amazing the world of EWF actually is. We are true believers in the fact that, if everyone started their day with at least one EWF song, the world would indeed be a better place,” states Hall.
The pair tested their discipline by recognizing their unique position to bolster deep cuts, a practice that revealed a throughline of appreciation. “The deeper we got, the more we did,” reflects Hall, “They started to get shaped like they were our songs, and we started to care for them. And that’s what’s been happening with this record. This is the first of many of the tunes we did and we hope that you enjoy it as much as we did creating it.”
While Harrison plays most of the instruments throughout the set and Hall performs all vocal parts, the pair tapped additional talent to produce their desired sound. Guest appearances range from Hall’s Lettuce bandmates Adam Deitch (drums) and Eric “Benny” Bloom (trumpet), as well as Harrison’s Butcher Brown mates Corey Fonville (drums), Andrew Randazzo (bass), Marcus Tenney (horns), Morgan Burrs (guitar). Rounding out the guest list is one-time Butcher Brown guitarist Keith Askey, guitarist/producer Brandon Lane, and vocalist Sam Reed.
Purchase the vinyl The Burning Bush: A Journey Through the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire.
Stream the album now. For more information, visit www.nigelhallofficial.com.
TRACK LIST
1. Evil
2. Happy Feelin’
3. All About Love
4. Sun Goddess
5. Earth, Wind & Fire
6. Imagination
7. That’s the Way of the World
8. Dreams
9. Runnin’
10. On Your Face
11. My Love
12. Let’s Groove