Just saw Stevie Wonder at the White River Ampitheater - Here is the incredible version he did of Chick Corea's "Spain". He also did a nice cover of the Stylistics' "People Make the World Go Round." I woke up with an "earworm" of it going around in my head.
He presented his daughter Aisha who sang a number & is one of his backup singers ("Isn't She Lovely" was written about her.) We saw the winner of the Sing With Stevie Wonder contest, a white chick from Lynnwood. Stevie was also joined by Sanjay Malakar of nearby Federal Way, who originally auditioned with "Signed Sealed & Delivered," which is the song Obama rallies usually close with. (Someone had to whisper Sanjay's name into Stevie's ear so he could announce him, as he apparently doesn't "follow" American Idol either.)
Stevie put in about five plugs for Obama - he overtly said he supports him during the introduction, kept talking about positivity, not being afraid to win, change, hope, moving forward, and ended with "Yes We Can!" He mentioned a racial incident in which some of his band were told a restaurant was closing which obviously wasn't. "In 2008, in America, this is simply unacceptable," he said.
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The Ampitheater is huge. It's hosted Radiohead, Coldplay etc. and provides some competition to The Gorge Ampitheater further to the east. You have to cross some interesting terrain to get to it. Loved the graffiti on the rez and the fireworks stands like Kenny's Big Kaboom and Safe Insane Fireworks and would drive out there again with a camera, even at today's gas prices.
The Muckleshoots sold $4 bottles of Dasani water, which is just Seattle water straight out of the tap, and they sold Indian Tacos and Fry Bread for $7, beers for $8. I smuggled in my own pop and could definitely have brought in a camera but I didn't know.
Stevie Wonder at White River: old hits, new stylings and plenty of charm
Stevie Wonder played a classic set at his July 11 concert at White River in Auburn, full of hits like "My Cherie Amour," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours," "Superstition" and "Isn't She Lovely"; concert review by Patrick MacDonald.
By Patrick MacDonald
Seattle Times music critic
Concert Review |
Stevie Wonder's powers are undiminished. At 58, the great Motown legend is as vital and creative as ever. He still has a wondrous, youthful spirit, and beguiling, mischievous charm.
Switching among various keyboards Friday night at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, the smiling showman delivered many of his classic soulful, funky hits, as well as some lesser-known gems, and even a new song, to the delight of the near-capacity crowd.
He played around with some vocals, extending notes, going high and low, turning lyrics into rhythmic mumblings. He got the audience involved, too, having them sing notes and snatches of lyrics, at his direction. His vocal improvisations enriched "Visions," "Creeping," "Ribbon in the Sky" and other songs, making you listen closer and fully appreciate their moving lyrics and enticing rhythms.
The richness of his voice was fully on display in a shimmering "Golden Lady," a beautiful, evocative "Overjoyed" and a fun, joyful "My Cherie Amour." He played a string of fan favorites toward the end, galvanizing the crowd with "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours," "Sir Duke," "I Wish" and "Superstition" (with Sanjaya Malakar of "American Idol" fame briefly joining in).
Backed by a 10-piece band and three background singers (including his daughter Aisha), he opened with a mix of popular and lesser-known songs, including "As If You Read My Mind," "Master Blaster," "Did I Hear You Say You Love Me," "All I Do (Is Think About You)" and "Knocks Me Off My Feet," before bringing the crowd to its feet with "Higher Ground."
During a lively, Latin-y version of Chick Corea's jazzy instrumental "Spain," he introduced every member of his top-notch band, each of whom got a solo. It went on a little too long, but the solos were superb.
Aisha's solo was followed by her dad singing "Isn't She Lovely," composed for her when she was an infant. She stood near as he sang it, caressing and kissing him.
The one new song, "Keep Fooling Yourself Little Girl," showed he still has a gift for clever lyrics and rich instrumental arrangements.
As usual, he talked quite a bit, endorsing Barack Obama, loquaciously preaching love and peace, and dedicating the show to Quincy Jones, who grew up in Seattle.
Posted by: Stevie Wonder's Powers Are Undiminished | July 12, 2008 at 02:54 PM
Q&A: Stevie Wonder never ceases to unite listeners
By GENE STOUT
P-I POP MUSIC CRITIC
Singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Stevie Wonder will sign, seal and deliver his latest Seattle-area performance Friday at White River Amphitheatre.
Tickets are $45, $59.50, $69.50 and $125 at Ticketmaster.
The Motown Records icon, who joined the label when he was 12, has recorded dozens of hit singles, among them "Uptight (Everything's Alright)," "For Once in My Life," "My Cherie Amour," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours," "Superstition," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" and "Ebony and Ivory" (with Paul McCartney).
Livenation
Stevie Wonder, who performs tonight at the White River Amphitheatre, can choose songs from an enormous body of work that includes 45 top 40 hits.
In 1985, Wonder participated in the "We Are the World" fundraiser to fight hunger in Africa, and in 1989 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Over the years, Wonder, whose sweet, uplifting R&B songs have brought him millions of fans, has won 26 Grammy Awards.
Wonder is currently working on two recording projects, "The Gospel Inspired by Lula," an album dedicated to his mother; and "Through the Eyes of Wonder," an album that reflects "how I see the world and how various things affect me."
In June, before the start of his tour, Wonder fielded questions from music journalists in a teleconference interview.
Among those asking questions were yours truly, along with Ernest Jasmin (Tacoma News Tribune), Gary Graff (Oakland Free Press), Dave Tianen (Milwaukee Journal), Ben Corbett (Boulder Weekly) and Bobby Reed (Chicago Sun-Times). Here are excerpts:
Stout: Quincy Jones, who was recently in Seattle to deliver a speech at the 2008 University of Washington commencement ceremony, said he is working with you and Tony Bennett on an album of Marvin Gaye songs. What can you tell us about it?
Wonder: Tony and I talked about doing some stuff together. Quincy and I have always wanted to work together on a project. I've been a great fan of Bennett's since I was a little kid. So I'm excited to be a part of it.
Stout: What more can you say about Marvin Gaye and his music?
Well, you know, it's no different than John Lennon. I mean, his life was too short. There was so much more, I feel, that he had to say. But he left us an incredible statement on ecology, "What's Going On?" It still sounds like it was done yesterday.
Graff: What does the Motown Records legacy mean to you? Like, knowing it's been 50 years since the company was founded?
Well, it lets me know I was only like 9 years old when it started. So that was kind of interesting. And me having the wish, you know, to be a singer and being fascinated by that sound that came out of a radio. Within a matter of two years after that, I had the pleasure of meeting some of those great people that I never imagined I would meet.
Tianen: You've had 45 top 40 hits. When you put together a set, which songs do you think you're absolutely required to play for the fans?
I think "Signs of Living" has to be in there. I think that "My Cherie Amour," if possible, should be in there. I think "Superstition" is important. I think obviously some of the stuff from "Songs in the Key of Life."
We have a pretty extensive set. We try to pick the songs that work good, not only the songs that people know, but maybe some that may not have been No. 1 songs, but just feel right and get a response from the audience.
Jasmin: One of your upcoming projects is named after your mom. Have you started writing songs for that? Where are you in the process of making that record?
Some of it is going to be traditional gospel, but ... I might do something in Arabic and I might do something in Hebrew, just different things than what one would expect. My whole (aim) is just spreading the good word, the message.
And yes, I've written a few things on the road and I've had songs through the years that I never recorded, and so a combination of those songs and some traditional things will make up the project. I'm excited about it.
Corbett: Does Ray Charles' death still have an impact on you day to day?
Well, you know, I just am very honored that I had the pleasure of meeting him. I met him when I was 11, and he brought lots of people together. I mean there were people who listened to only country, but after hearing Ray Charles they probably were curious about what jazz was all about.
And there are jazz musicians that may not have listened to country and decided to check it out. I think any time a musician or an artist can bring people together it's a great thing because it opens up not only their musical ears, but their spiritual ears.
Reed: I know you played a fundraiser for Sen. Barack Obama. Do you plan to talk publicly about the presidential election and encourage your fans to vote for him?
I'm sure that if I have an opportunity, obviously people know my passion. It's consistently been the same since I began understanding just social issues, political issues and developed a great desire to see a united people in the United States.
South Africa came from apartheid and elected a president, Nelson Mandela, who was in prison at one time because he was against apartheid. We have to get beyond these places of color and cultural boundaries.
Posted by: Stevie Wonder Never Ceases to Unite Listeners | July 12, 2008 at 02:55 PM
Stevie Wonder delights the crowd with his classics at the Hollywood Bowl.
By Jeff Weiss, Special to The Times
July 9, 2008
At this point in his legendary career, all Stevie Wonder has to do is play "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing," and the crowd can't help but comply -- especially on a perfect summer night at the Hollywood Bowl.
On Monday, the singer-songwriter led his followers toward an almost religious transcendence as a soft violet dusk slipped over the Bowl, the roiling audience of nearly 18,000 constantly clapping their hands and swaying in unison, and the aptly named Wonder showcasing the bottomless depth of his talent and songbook for two hours.
Backed by a full orchestra, a massive band that included three different drummers and, at times, three of his children, the 58-year-old Motown native ran through a greatest hits set that elucidated why he's sold more than 150 million records over the course of his five-decades-long career.
By now, the figure of Wonder performing is ingrained in the American consciousness, and his concert at the Bowl elicited few surprises. Yet, for the visionary there was no need to rely on gimmickry or histrionics.
Clad in a summery white suit, large gold chain dangling from his neck, the ever-optimistic Wonder mixed in an endorsement of Barack Obama and pleas for America to come together with an impassioned rendering of his discography, including a poignant version of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," which Obama adopted as one of his earliest campaign theme songs.
Hovering over his piano and clavinet, breaking only to deliver skittering harmonica licks, Wonder seemed as mystically attuned to the vibrations of the cosmos as ever, snapping his trademark braids, angling his sunglasses toward the sky and absorbing the waves of energy whipping around the Bowl.
While some of his songs can tilt toward the overly sentimental, in person, Wonder's undeniable sincerity and good nature couldn't help but win over even the most dedicated cynic.
Perpetually wearing a bright smile, Wonder's grin grew biggest when accompanied by his children -- particularly during his daughter Aisha Morris' solo performance of the jazzy standard "I'm Gonna Laugh You Right out of My Life." Wonder followed that up by crooning "Isn't She Lovely," the song he wrote for her when she was a newborn more than 30 years ago.
Even his second youngest son, 6-year-old Kailand Morris, got in on the act, drumming along to the set's final numbers.
But for the enraptured crowd, the highlights were undoubtedly the staples they'd grown up on -- the tunes from Wonder's 1970s glory period: "Superstition," "Livin' for the City," "Golden Lady," "Higher Ground" and "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," the sort of songs that figure to float around the American consciousness for decades to come.
His first performance at the Bowl since ending a 12-year touring hiatus last fall, Wonder's return was a resounding success, a masterful turn from one of the greatest musicians to ever grace the venerable venue.
Posted by: Stevie Wonder at Hollywood Bowl | July 12, 2008 at 02:57 PM
Wonder talks about tour, inspirations, Obama
By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY – Jun 26, 2008
NEW YORK (AP) — Stevie Wonder is fidgeting with his camera phone, embarrassed because he can't get it to work right.
But wait, it's not what you think.
Wonder is trying to show a reporter how the device helps him "see" written documents; moments later, the blind superstar reveals how the camera takes photos of text, converts it to audio and reads the words aloud, and instantly has wowed his audience of one.
But Wonder doesn't need to rely on technology to amaze: Now on a nationwide tour, all he needs to do is open his mouth and start singing some of his classic hits: "Superstitious," "I Wish," "As," "My Cherie Amour" — and he gets a crowd into a frenzy. Actually, just his appearance on stage is usually enough: His icon status is enough to leave an audience in awe.
In person, Wonder, 58, comes off more like your friendly uncle than a legendary musical figure: He cracks jokes, tells stories, and opines about politics and world peace. Here's a sampling of what Wonder had to say when he spoke recently with The Associated Press.
AP: Before you started touring last fall, your last full-fledged tour was in 1996. Why did you decide to get back on the road?
Wonder: Just having a chance to say thank you to the fans. After I lost my mother in May of 2006 I had said that I wasn't going to perform for a while. But I got the message (from my mother) to go and spread the message, celebrating some of the feats that we have such as coming together and fighting against apartheid. ... We cannot forever think that we will have the blessings that we have without staying on point.
AP: You are a supporter of Barack Obama. One refrain from a lot of people is that they never thought they'd see a day where there was a tangible possibility of a black president. Did you feel that way too or did you think that it could happen someday in your lifetime?
Wonder: Of course I did. I always felt: Why not? What's the big deal? Someday there will be a Latino president and an Asian president and a Jewish president. We can't talk about those things and then not be. The Lord that I serve says the impossible is unacceptable. If we can fly to Mars and have many trips to the moon ... will find the cure to cancer. I just feel that we need to use more of our power for the goodness. ... We are in a battle for good and evil. You've got to take a position. My focus is not just because he is an African-American ... but his spirit is one of being kind of free.
AP: If Obama is elected president, are you angling to perform at the inauguration?
Wonder: I'm just excited. Obviously if I'm invited to be there it's an honor, but I didn't do all of that to get a pat on the back. ... I'm just excited about it. It's time for America and the world to grow up and grow into the right now and stop the B.S., and B.S. stands for breaking the spirit.
AP: You have been more than a singer but an activist for years. Do you wish that younger singers were as concerned about social issues as you have been?
Wonder: There are very conscious people ... you've got various people doing their thing. There is a place of consciousness within. Someone has to stand out there and sometimes they have to stand alone. At the end of all that you are going to have people who take a position and move us forward. That doesn't mean that every single artist has to write some conscious song.
AP: Can you appreciate some of the less conscious — perhaps even a bit ignorant — songs on the radio today?
Wonder: The good thing about satellite radio is ... that there's a freedom of expression that happens. I'm not going to let my kids listen to raw (stuff), but I might a little. (Sings a little bit of Lil Wayne's "Lollipop"). I didn't know so many people were licking and sucking ... it's all over the place (laughs)!
AP: You ever wish you had the freedom back in the day to get a little raw on record?
Wonder: I don't think I would do a song that said can we (expletive) right now or anything like that. I don't think I would do something like that, or a song that said certain things, whether it be 30 years ago or right now. I don't see myself as doing that just because there are other things to saying what you wanna say without saying it like that. That's private business... I'm not an advocate of giving everything up. (Laughs.)
AP: You mentioned you are a fan of Nas. What do you think of the whole controversy about him initially wanting to title his new album the n-word?
Wonder: I'm not with the word only in that we had buried the word and it should have been buried. People say well we use it for fun and whatever. I'm not really feeling it and I know sometimes it comes in conversation ... For all the pain that has happened over the years, what that word brings up, it needs to go away.
AP: You have new projects coming out in the fall. Now veteran stars like the Eagles and Radiohead are finding new ways to put out music outside of traditional labels. What do you think of that?
Wonder: The world is changing. Things are just different. The world is evolving everyday so you have to stay with it or get left behind. there was a deal that I felt good about, I would jump right on it!
On the Net:
http://www.steviewonder.com
Posted by: Wonder Talks About Tour, Inspirations, Obama | July 12, 2008 at 02:59 PM