|  | 
06-28-2006, 10:11 AM
| | | | Stevie Wonder appreciation
Sign in to disble this ad
Has there ever been another artist with an artistic streak as astonishing as Stevie Wonder's 1972-76 run?
At the time, I felt that he was filling the void left by the Beatles and Hendrix, and when I listen to things like "Talking Book" and "Innervisions" I still feel that way.
Younger folks might think he's another Barry Manilow, but back then he was the most serious musical force around, the creator of: the finest singing; the coolest multi-tracked "one man band" performances; the funkiest, hardest grooves; the deepest and most devastating sad songs; chord changes much hipper than Steely Dan's; the most "human" use of synthesizers; many "instant standards" suitable to be covered by everyone-- jazz musicians, tuxedoed lounge singers, or rock musicians; love songs, political songs, instrumental "fusion" tunes; and on and on.
Any thoughts? |
06-28-2006, 10:41 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Metro St. Louis | | | If music education is open minded, there will be a day when Stevie Wonder will studied along side the greatest musicians of the twentieth century including any jazz or "classical" musicians or composers.
__________________
Vintage Yamaha & Peavey Fan!
G-K MB210, killer bang for the buck!
Spector Rebop Deluxe V, my best gift ever!
|
06-28-2006, 11:01 AM
|  | Registered User
Owner/Retailer: Jive Sound | | Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alexandria,VA | | | Amazing composer and performer. Can't say enough about the man's talents. |
06-28-2006, 11:06 AM
|  | prefers electric miles davis | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | | i love stevie. respect. |
06-28-2006, 11:13 AM
|  | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese If music education is open minded, there will be a day when Stevie Wonder will studied along side the greatest musicians of the twentieth century including any jazz or "classical" musicians or composers. | At Jazz Summerschool last year, there was serious study of some Steve Wonder tunes in classes I attended. Pete Churchill, who teaches on a full-time Jazz degree course in the UK, had transcribed all the parts on several songs and some of it was mind-blowing! 
__________________
“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.”
Charles Mingus |
06-28-2006, 11:30 AM
|  | Hip No Ties | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New York, NY | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by dougjwray Has there ever been another artist with an artistic streak as astonishing as Stevie Wonder's 1972-76 run?
At the time, I felt that he was filling the void left by the Beatles and Hendrix, and when I listen to things like "Talking Book" and "Innervisions" I still feel that way.
Younger folks might think he's another Barry Manilow, but back then he was the most serious musical force around, the creator of: the finest singing; the coolest multi-tracked "one man band" performances; the funkiest, hardest grooves; the deepest and most devastating sad songs; chord changes much hipper than Steely Dan's; the most "human" use of synthesizers; many "instant standards" suitable to be covered by everyone-- jazz musicians, tuxedoed lounge singers, or rock musicians; love songs, political songs, instrumental "fusion" tunes; and on and on.
Any thoughts? | You pretty much said it. Not only a complete musician, in all the ways you just listed, but also a superb artist - sensitive, intelligent, insightful and deeply spiritual. A great human being...
MM
__________________
Truly knowledge is power. And knowledge of spiritual things is spiritual power.
|
06-28-2006, 11:33 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Queens, N.Y.(Near JFK Airport) | |
He's a musical genius, nothing less! 
For songs as diverse as, My Cherie Amour, Living For The City, Superstition, Past Time Paradise*, I Just Called To Say I love You and Master Blaster to come from the same mind is almost unbelievable!
Gifted is not the word for Stevie! 
You could write another 10,000 words, but you'd just be repeating yourself.
Mike
* One of my favorite songs for its arrangement and lyrics.
__________________
When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. Marcus Aurelius
Founder, Hughes & Kettner Club
#7 Hollowbody Club
|
06-28-2006, 07:10 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Brampton, Ontario | | | I might still be a young guy around here, but I love his music to death. I was introduced to him through my bass teacher a few years ago when he taught me Master Blaster. I fell in love with the song and bass line. it took a while to learn it completely and up to speed but now it is my favortie tune to play and is my "test out a new bass tune." I believe that his is one of the best artist out there and of all time. Also his new work is really great as well so it shows he still has it and can pull it out. |
06-28-2006, 08:25 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Metro NYC | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by dougjwray Has there ever been another artist with an artistic streak as astonishing as Stevie Wonder's 1972-76 run? | Some might extend that end date a year or three later, but in general, yes, I agree entirely. IMO nobody in pop music had a better run over a comparable length of time. Not the Beatles, not the Stones, nobody. Some may have had as good a run, but nobody has had a better one.
Just MHO, obviously.
__________________
"I think; therefore I am." --Rene Descartes
"I think I think; therefore I think I am." --Ambrose Bierce
"I am ... I said." -- Neil Diamond
B1500 Club #18
ABG Club #89
|
06-28-2006, 09:47 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Montreal, Canada | | Innervision is one of the best album of all time!!
Song in the key of life isn't bad either
__________________
"A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence." ~Leopold Stokowski
|
06-29-2006, 07:21 AM
|  | <-- That guy looks like me, but old. | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Arlington TX | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by jive1 Amazing composer and performer. Can't say enough about the man's talents. | Ditto.
My 'try out a new bass' tune right now is Sir Duke.
__________________
If my posts can possibly be taken as bitterly cynical, horribly sarcastic, deeply contemptuous of my fellow human, and maybe somewhat humorous, then that's your safest bet.
|
06-29-2006, 09:01 AM
|  | Thump... | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Around Boston, Massachusetts | | Stevie Wonder = Teh AmaZ1ng!!!! He Ro0lz0rs!!!!!!
Seriously. Stevie Wonder is a musical genius and not a day goes by that something he wrote comes to my fingers...brilliant. 
__________________
PBass + GK + 112s = yay! Quote: |
Originally Posted by lyle If my bass was signed by a ghost, 1. I would pee my pants and run around screeming for a while, then 2. proceed to find ghost and kick his ass for writing on my instrument! |
Last edited by xsogol : 06-29-2006 at 12:43 PM.
|
06-29-2006, 09:55 AM
| | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by xsogol Stevie Wonder = Teh AmaZ1ng!!!! He Ro0lz0rs!!!!!!
Seriously. Stevie Wonder is a musical genious and not a day goes by that something he wrote comes to my fingers...brilliant. | Dude! Get yourself a spell checker! They're not expensive!  |
06-29-2006, 10:10 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bristol, UK | | | Word. Another Star is a particular fave of mine.
__________________
US Standard Fender Jazz, Status Series 1 5 string, customised Encore "stealth" Precision bass, Markbass Little Mark 2, GK Neo 112 & GK Neo 212
|
06-29-2006, 01:52 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Wales, UK | | Stevie Wonder is one of the greatest artists ever to grace the planet with his presence. I've been a fan of his stuff for a long long time, but just the other day, I was listening to "Superstition" and despite I know it so well I could sing it in my sleep and play it with my eyes closed, I still couldn't stop myself from getting up and going with the groove.
Everyone's heard of Stevie Wonder, but the amount of people my age that can't even name a single song... it's shocking. 
__________________
It's What I Got:
1983 Ricky 4003 (White)
1990s Ibanez Prestige Sr3006E
1988 Stingray 4
Trace Elliot GP12 SMX-300
Warwick Pro 411
|
06-29-2006, 01:56 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cambridge, MA | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by dougjwray Has there ever been another artist with an artistic streak as astonishing as Stevie Wonder's 1972-76 run? | I agree. He's one of the greats.
I remember when Paul Simon finally won a Grammy: He thanked Stevie for not doing an album that year. |
06-30-2006, 01:50 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Columbus, Oh | | | I like the stuff with Jamerson on Bass. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | |
