Music review: Chicago – 鈥楴ow More Than Ever: The History of Chicago鈥�
While the arrival of 2017 has many looking forward to a clean slate and new beginnings, I fondly found myself stuck in the past as I enjoyed a pleasant reminder of a band that impacted me in many ways over my lifetime.
On New Year鈥檚 Day, CNN Films premiered 鈥淣ow More Than Ever: The History of Chicago.鈥� The rockumentary serves as a fitting celebration of Chicago鈥檚 career. As 2017 marks the iconic band鈥檚 50th anniversary, the new film explores Chicago鈥檚 musical legacy through interviews and concert footage.
The soundtrack from the film features 53 songs that span the various musical periods of the band as well as the numerous musician changes that influenced the sound from decade to decade.
The set opens appropriately with 鈥淚ntroduction鈥� from the band鈥檚 1969 debut album 鈥淐hicago Transit Authority鈥� and closes with the hit 鈥淟ook Away鈥� penned by Diane Warren.
My very first Chicago purchase was the 1971 four-album live box set from Carnegie Hall with a lineup that included Terry Kath (lead guitar/vocals), Robert Lamm (keyboards/vocals), Peter Cetera (bass/vocals), Danny Seraphine (drums), Lee Loughnane (trumpet/vocals), James Pankow (trombone) and Walter Parazaider (woodwinds/vocals). The package included a huge wall poster that was proudly hung in my bedroom for several years. I would eventually go on to purchase nine other Chicago albums and would see the band perform in Pittsburgh. Whenever I hear the opening notes of 鈥淐olour My World,鈥� I鈥檓 instantly transported back to my middle school days when this track was the king of slow dances.
Arrangements such as 鈥淏eginnings,鈥� 鈥淨uestions 67 and 68,鈥� 鈥淣ow More Than Ever,鈥� 鈥淐all On Me鈥� and 鈥淚f You Leave Me Now鈥� have always been personal favorites and are included as part of the film鈥檚 soundtrack.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, Chicago continues to tour and impress fans young and old alike with a musical energy that is simply contagious.
As the new year gets underway, treat yourself to an audio tasting of Chicago鈥檚 finest offerings and make every day 鈥淪aturday in the Park.鈥�
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.