Stevie Wonder
One of modern music most iconic stars, Stevie Wonder has helped shape the sound of modern pop and R'n'B with an innovative blend of funk, pop, soul and jazz.
Signing to Motown Records in 1961, Wonder was an instant hit with the public with a sound that embraced the traditional soul advocated by the likes of Ray Charles and moved it into more experimental climes by using lesser heard instruments like synthisers and congas on many of his recordings.
With album sales totaling more than 72 million units, Stevie Wonder has scored more than 30 Top Ten Hits, 11 #1 Pop singles, winning 19 Grammys (and a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in '96) and a host of other awards, including, most recently, Billboard's 2004 Century Award - making him one of the most decorated artists in music history.
Signing to Motown Records in 1961, Wonder was an instant hit with the public with a sound that embraced the traditional soul advocated by the likes of Ray Charles and moved it into more experimental climes by using lesser heard instruments like synthisers and congas on many of his recordings.
With album sales totaling more than 72 million units, Stevie Wonder has scored more than 30 Top Ten Hits, 11 #1 Pop singles, winning 19 Grammys (and a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in '96) and a host of other awards, including, most recently, Billboard's 2004 Century Award - making him one of the most decorated artists in music history.
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danjm
Wednesday, 24 September
Stevie Wonderful
Throughout the two and half hours of the Wonder Summer's Night, there were reminders of decades of generation defining songs with live moments that will live long in the memory. Critic's damning 'boring' verdict of the previous night were proved to be unfounded. Which artist who can keep an exhilarating and mesmeric pace for nearly three hours? Only the 58 year old Wonder can pull off entering the arena beat-boxing followed by playing the Miles Davis classic All Blues on a harmonica. The adoring masses, of many generations, would have whooped and hollered had even Boris Johnson led him on stage but there was no sense of complacency. He's performed at the top since Marvin Gaye played drums for him in his teens when Little Stevie Wonder lived up to his name. A little larger nowadays, it only adds to his domineering presence. An early glimpse into the most roof-raising of his mammoth back-catalogue is provided by the thundering Bob Marley tribute Master Blaster (Jammin') and a vibrant, Latin infused Don't You Worry About a Thing follows shortly after. A genuine rapport is established with the audience, paramount for Wonder to gage the mood and expectations of the sold out crowd. Lyrical substitutions endorsing Barack Obama reflect the adoration of the audience to an individual Stevie obviously admires himself. A touching anecdote about the death of his mother and cheeky audience interchanges endear those to the sentimental superstar even if the music hadn't done so already, I'm not the biggest advocate of in between song chatter but like everything Wonder does there is a certain charm and magic to it. It rubs off onto the audience as an excess of mobile phones are waved, in keeping with the name of the venue, during I Just Called to Say I Love You. Loved ones on the other end of the line listen in, greatly appreciating the gesture along with the invitation to join the fun.
Astutely, he paces his set well. His most beautiful ballads, Lately, Visions and Knocks me off my Feet punctuate the middle stages of the evening while solo opportunities for Aisha Morris - his daughter and all members of the band allow deserving accolades for those in the shade and conserve vital energy necessary for the most blistering of endings. Ribbon in the Sky is sung magnificently, as if the masterful instrumentation wasn't enough, and the barrage of hits flood the arena. Ecstatic renditions of I Wish, Living for the City, Sir Duke, Uptight span the various, glorious musical eras from Motown to electronic funk the man has expertly manipulated. With the audience still rocking the auditorium in their dancing homage to the addictive hook of Superstitious, the mantra like chorus of As sadly heralds the end of proceedings. Melodies of the myriad of distinct classics echo out of the O2 in the whistles, hums and singing of the jubilant punters down into North Greenwich tube station, each song having been personally intrinsic to the Stevie Wonder experience.
Throughout the two and half hours of the Wonder Summer's Night, there were reminders of decades of generation defining songs with live moments that will live long in the memory. Critic's damning 'boring' verdict of the previous night were proved to be unfounded. Which artist who can keep an exhilarating and mesmeric pace for nearly three hours? Only the 58 year old Wonder can pull off entering the arena beat-boxing followed by playing the Miles Davis classic All Blues on a harmonica. The adoring masses, of many generations, would have whooped and hollered had even Boris Johnson led him on stage but there was no sense of complacency. He's performed at the top since Marvin Gaye played drums for him in his teens when Little Stevie Wonder lived up to his name. A little larger nowadays, it only adds to his domineering presence. An early glimpse into the most roof-raising of his mammoth back-catalogue is provided by the thundering Bob Marley tribute Master Blaster (Jammin') and a vibrant, Latin infused Don't You Worry About a Thing follows shortly after. A genuine rapport is established with the audience, paramount for Wonder to gage the mood and expectations of the sold out crowd. Lyrical substitutions endorsing Barack Obama reflect the adoration of the audience to an individual Stevie obviously admires himself. A touching anecdote about the death of his mother and cheeky audience interchanges endear those to the sentimental superstar even if the music hadn't done so already, I'm not the biggest advocate of in between song chatter but like everything Wonder does there is a certain charm and magic to it. It rubs off onto the audience as an excess of mobile phones are waved, in keeping with the name of the venue, during I Just Called to Say I Love You. Loved ones on the other end of the line listen in, greatly appreciating the gesture along with the invitation to join the fun.
Astutely, he paces his set well. His most beautiful ballads, Lately, Visions and Knocks me off my Feet punctuate the middle stages of the evening while solo opportunities for Aisha Morris - his daughter and all members of the band allow deserving accolades for those in the shade and conserve vital energy necessary for the most blistering of endings. Ribbon in the Sky is sung magnificently, as if the masterful instrumentation wasn't enough, and the barrage of hits flood the arena. Ecstatic renditions of I Wish, Living for the City, Sir Duke, Uptight span the various, glorious musical eras from Motown to electronic funk the man has expertly manipulated. With the audience still rocking the auditorium in their dancing homage to the addictive hook of Superstitious, the mantra like chorus of As sadly heralds the end of proceedings. Melodies of the myriad of distinct classics echo out of the O2 in the whistles, hums and singing of the jubilant punters down into North Greenwich tube station, each song having been personally intrinsic to the Stevie Wonder experience.
alex
Monday, 06 October
danjm, you are spot on with your review. i was at the O2 on the same night and i couldn't agree more.
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