Stevie Wonder-As

I have been in the concert space for three decades and my favorite performance of all time was a private show Stevie played for a Bay Area software company in 2000. Despite telling the audience that he might "cut it short due to a bout of the Flu", he then proceeded to play a 4 hour concert. A living treasure without equal; the Duke Ellington of my generation, and a truly inspiring musician I never tire listening to.

His prodigious musical output slowed dramatically after Musiquarium. He kept recording here and there, but definitely nothing to rival the magnitude of the albums that preceeded this greatest hits compilation.

And to think Musiquarium came out in 1982, when he was 32-33 years old. Amazing.

An underrated album is "Fullfillingness' First Finale". Incredible album and an absolute joy to listen to.

I purchased the remastered albums that came in the cardboard sleeves-they are definitely cool and were limited edition releases if I'm not mistaken.

But they didn't remaster "Where I'm Coming From" or "Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants". I've never heard either album, just the hit song from "Secret" included in Musiquarium called "Send One Your Love" and the harmonica instrumental version he did of the song "Alfie" which was on the "where I'm coming From" album.

And he did a duet with a female vocalist whose name I forgot. The song is called "Used to Be". Another great song that seems to have been forgotten.

I grew up listening to Stevie, Earth Wind and Fire and The Commodores.

Great music from an era that will never be duplicated.

Early 60's Stevie's "Contract on Love" with the background singers The Temptations before they made it big. Lately we heard Signed, Sealed and Delivered everywhere.

Truly, great music.
JT

Stevie Wonder is one of my favorites and Songs In The Key of Life is a personal desert island disc. The Speakers Corner re-release is excellent and definitely an improvement over the original. Well worth the money. He had one of the greatest 15-20 year runs of any recording artist of the popular era. A couple LP's worth seeking out but not yet mentioned:

Talking Book (1972):
Sure "You Are The Sunshine of My Life" is a silly love song, but it's a GREAT silly love song. This LP also has the hit "Superstition" and "Blame It On the Sun", one of the all time great songs of regret. The album closes with "I Believe When I Fall In Love" which was the closing song for the movie 'High Fidelity'.

Hotter Than July (1980):
"Rocket Love", "Master Blaster", "Lately" and the MLK tribute "Happy Birthday". One of the best albums of the early 80's.

I Was Made To Love Her used to tear me up on the jukebox as a teen.Whenever Steve gets his groove on look out.I just listened to Songs In The Key... Ordinary Pain tells the truth.Would also recommend Donny Hathaway "Extension Of A Man" to those who enjoy Mr. Wonder.