5 reasons for listening to Earth, Wind & Fire

My five reasons for listening to EARTH, WIND & FIRE today:
1. It's a brilliantly sun-drenched morning, a little on the cool side, that reminds me of LOS ANGELES -- EWF's base for so many years.
2. Band leader and drummer MAURICE WHITE hired a number of outstanding musicians for his collective. Like great jazz bandleaders, he functioned as a peerless talent scout for musicians.
3. The arrangements of songs such as "EVIL" are intricate enough that I lose myself trying to unravel the threads.
4. AL McKAY. I'm a sucker for great funk guitarists.
5. I admire how they could sell records while largely remaining true to a musical vision of combining FUNK with other forms of African-American music.