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CULTURE MUSIC maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 3 JULY 2019 12 AL McKay, mythical guitarist of Earth Wind & Fire, took to the stage at Fort Manoel last night and - with his band - revived the funk, rhythm'n blues, jazz and soul sounds that have marked the history of music. McKay, a key player in the golden years of EW&F, brought the historical repertoire of the formation back on stage. Rhea Chetcuti was the band's special guest. A veteran, Grammy Award winning and multi-platinum recording artist, Al McKay has a long history of creating songs that feel good to the body and soul. The former Earth, Wind & Fire guitarist teamed with group founder Maurice White to pen the band's seminal hits "Sep- tember" and "Sing A Song" and honed his chops playing with Ike & Tina Turner and Sammy Davis Jr. McKay continues in this tra- dition with "Heed the Mes- sage," his latest offering from his band Al McKay Allstars. In the spirit of McKay's eight years in Earth, Wind & Fire from 1973 to 1981, "Heed the Message" is rich with impressive harmonic backing vocals, ample moving saxophone runs, driving funk bass grooves and uplifting lyrics: "Don't think twice when your feeling is right," "Trymeditation, "and"Loveisthecalling." "The song's message is 'Do the best you can'," McKay said. "Be true to yourself. Don't let any- thing get in your way. Whatever you consider being successful, don't let it stop you from doing what you do, what you're here for." McKay has a personal con- nection to the song's theme. "I create a lot when I'm in my depressed mode," he says. "But playing is really therapeutic, it gets it out. Playing for me is the best way to release." His intention is for the song to have a similar impact on listen- ers. McKay credits the late Mau- rice White with encouraging him to become a songwriter. White would begin writing lyr- ics as he listened to McKay im- provising on his guitar. "In the dressing room, we used to have a tuning guitar room. After I would tune, I would start play- ing these tunes and I could hear [Maurice] singing. That's how we wrote 'Sing A Song.' That's how we wrote The Emotion's 'Best of My Love.'" McKay described White as his best songwriter partner and was saddened by White's passing to Parkinson's disease in 2016. "It was difficult," McKay recalled. "I didn't realize it was taking such a turn. Last time I saw him was at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when we were being inducted." McKay is now working on a new album. In addition to work- ing with some of his bandmates, he's also in talks to collaborate with a few of the music busi- ness' hit making, award-winning songwriters and producers. "I have some exciting things in the works," he said. "It's just too early to share the names." One of McKay's recent works is a feel good, dance song "Eve- rybody Get Up" that the band has been playing during their European concert dates. "They love it in Europe," he said. The tour set pays homage to Earth, Wind & Fire. Al McKay's Earth, Wind & Fire experience