April 1, 2015, I made a musical dream come true, as I saw Stevie Wonder in concert at the Schottenstein Center at Ohio State University. Since I lived in Detroit for the first 31 years of my life, I was always in love with Motown music. Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin became my all time favorites. I remember the first time I heard Fingertips, and I realized this many creates, he improvises, yes that song changed how I viewed music forevermore.
So what is Stevie Wonder like in concert? AMAZING! I think his main instrument is the piano, but in reality he is excellent at the harmonica, and is an incredible percussionist. Until you see him in concert, you just forget about his versatility. He also is an incredible singer. He can be Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, a rap singer, again complete versatility. He also can sing very high and very low, and he has a strong sharing voice between his higher and lower registers.
And most importantly, Stevie Wonder is blind, but through his music he sees. However, when you are in the middle of his concert is important to be aware that he is bling. It is amazing how losing one sense, causes the others to come to the forefront with greater magnicification.
I have to admit, I was simply amazed at his stamina. He got on stage late 845, for an 800 pm gig, but that didn't matter. He played until mid night with about a 20 minute break. I kept saying to myself, "what kind of vitamins does this man take?" His concert was about his Songs in the Key of Life album, which is probably one of the greatest works of art of all time. I keep saying amazing because I don't know what else to say. He sang almost every song on the two disc album. He also had an amazing singer India Iri, (I probably spelled her name wrong) who simply had an incredible, incredible voice.
During the middle of the concert, he also played an instrument that looked like a small electronic dulcimer....like a piano. Watching Stevie Wonder's hands through the binoculars, I kept saying to myself his hands are a miracle. Hands that play a synthesizer, a piano, a harmonica, a drum, a cymbal, I don't know, it is hard to put into words how incredible it was.
Stevie Wonder seems to just bring musicians together. His back up singers were amazing, such incredible voices, and his instrumentalists were phenomenal. I kept repeating over and over again, I cannot believe I am actually here. The end of the concert was so amazing because he just played one major hit after another and again, I thought his level of energy was beyond words.
I brought my children 24 and 21 to the concert along with my husband. We all agreed that it was one of the best concerts we have ever been to. One thing Mr. Wonder does, even in a large concert venue is connect with the audience. He has a great, kind of goofy sense of humor, and when he is performing it feels like you are the only person in the room. So, so, amazing. He also brings his concern for social justice issues to the concert stage. His themes of racial equality, peace, consideration for others still came through, loud and clear throughout the concert venue.
In his song es une historia, there is a line where he sings " I am singing with love from the heart" That is the essence of his music. There are several chambers in his heart, and all of the chambers of his heart contain the love he has for everyone, and he expresses that through his amazing music.
I know Stevie Wonder is more than just a pianist, but I feel like a part of piano playing soul comes from listening to and identifying with his music. His music has always made my life so much better. When my children were very small, I would always play CDs in the car. I had the 4 CD set "At the Close of the Century" and I played those 4 cds a lot when my children were 10 and 7. I believe quite wholeheartedly, that his music contributed to the why behind my children being musical.
I would love to meet Stevie Wonder, and I know I won't. But if I did, I would tell him that his music has truly made an amazing difference in my musical life. I actually have a piano book of his songs. They are not easy, and the rhythms are challenging. Yet when I plink through any of them, I feel as if I am one step closer to knowing something deep about Stevie Wonder. In his song Magic there is a line...'if it's magic than why can't it be ever lasting" That basically sums up his music, it is magic and it is everlasting.
