Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Zanzibar” From Their 1973 Album Head To The Sky

From 1973, here’s Earth, Wind & Fire’s cover of Edu Lôbo’s “Zanzibar” from their fourth album Head To The Sky.

Edu’s version can be found on his 1970 album, Cantiga De Longe or the 1970 album, Sérgio Mendes Presents Lobo.

Maurice:
The album was a declaration of the band’s personal and professional transformations. We were shifting our ears toward jazz and world music. Latin sounds were also modifying our palette. The EW&F band in early ’73 had the musicality, youth, and hunger we needed to expand into new musical horizons.

Head To The Sky, cut in only a couple of weeks at Clover Studios, showcased our musical diversity, which was there from the beginning, even in the Warner Bros. days. “The World’s a Masquerade,” “Build Your Nest,” “Evil,” and “Keep Your Head to the Sky” espoused consciousness. We wanted our audience to realize that to be young, gifted, and black, it was necessary to be awake and sensitive to the inner as well as the outer man.

– Maurice White. My Life With Earth, Wind & Fire, by Maurice White with Herb Powell, 2016.

Earth, Wind & Fire (Head To The Sky) –
Maurice: Vocal, Drums, Kalimba
Philip Bailey: Vocals, Congas, Percussion
Verdine White: Vocals, Bass, Percussion
Larry Dunn: Clavinet, Piano, Organ
Al McKay: Guitar, Sitar, Percussion
Andrew Woolfolk: Soprano Sax, Flute
Johnny Graham: Guitar, Percussion
Ralph Johnson: Drums, Percussion
Jessica Cleaves: Vocals

Arrangements: Earth, Wind & Fire