STEVIE WONDER IN CONCERT by Eric Myers ______[This review appeared in the May & June, 1981, edition of Encore magazine]

attended the first of 's three sold-out concerts in Sydney at the Hordern Pavilion on April 23. The blind singer/composer was not I feeling well. He had been recording all the previous night at EMI Studios until 9 am, and had slept badly during the day. Jaded when he arrived at the concert, he asked his capacity audience for a vibe, for energy — and received it in abundance. Including a 10-piece band and four female background vocalists, the concert was an unparalleled evening of black music, the kind of event that makes us regret that music and dancing are not more natural parts of Australian culture.

Stevie Wonder: his early ambition was to be a minister…

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Of course, much of the spirit of this kind of music is endemic to the Church in black communities in the United States. Stevie Wonder sang in the choir of Detroit's Whitestone Baptist Church at an early age and became their lead singer. His early ambition was to be a minister. In many ways he has achieved his ambition, spreading the message of God and love throughout the world. Stevie Wonder's repertoire included a comprehensive selection from the seven LPs he has released since turning 21, plus some earlier hits like , My Cherie Amour, and Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours. I felt that the program was divided logically into early hits, romantic ballads, solo spots from his four gorgeous female vocalists, and his great hits and political songs. Also, there was a large serving of the best tunes from his Hotter Than July , including , Lately, I Ain't Gonna Stand For It Baby, and Rocket Love.

On the evidence of the Hotter Than July album, Stevie Wonder is presently re- establishing his rock-and-roll credentials, following the lack of commercial success of his double-album Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants. Selections from that double-album were noticeably absent from his Hordern Pavilion program. But then, Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants was a virtuosic exploration of sound, a blind man's panoramic vision. It needs to be appreciated at a somewhat deeper musical level than, one suspects, most of Stevie Wonder's younger fans might be capable of. It is striking to consider that

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Little Stevie Wonder: now only 30, he had his first hit record Fingertips, at the age of 12… Live in concert, Stevie Wonder's bravura vocal ability was breathtaking. In ballads like You And I and Lately— as he does on the records — he hit last notes with incredible power, sustaining them at length, then running down with short scat passages, before levelling out on one last note — all in one breath. I believe he has the best set of lungs in popular music today. For three hours he sang his heart out with amazing energy and endurance, making his final exit at 12.40 am, after coming back to do an encore Happy Birthday, in which he calls for Martin Luther King's birthday to be made a national holiday. When the lights went up, the audience of over 5,000 were left stunned and drained emotionally. This was certainly one of the most memorable concerts I have ever attended, and I do not remember any major music star giving of himself more generously to his audience. ______

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