the Tribute to Stevie Wonder Program Notes
Transcription
the Tribute to Stevie Wonder Program Notes
The Fillmore Presents A BandHouse Gigs Tribute To STEVIE WONDER Saturday July 28, 2012 7:30 PM 1 2 A Tribute to Stevie Wonder By Richard Harrington All the awards, acclaim, accolades and honors af- forded Stevie Wonder are wonderful and deserved but they pale next to the Wonder of Stevie repre- sented individually by a song, melody, lyric, even a phrase from his volumi- nous catalog. Everyone’s got a favorite—actually, probably many— and that’s not even counting the overall ambient joy and counsel of so many of his songs. There’s positivity, optimism, hope and faith coursing through Wonder’s 50-year career, from “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” and “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” to “Isn’t She Love- ly,” the last written for his baby daughter Aisha and ever since any parent’s universal exaltation. But there’s also the racial and social realities of “Pastime Paradise” and “Living IRU WKH &LW\µ $ORQJ ZLWK &XUWLV 0D\ÀHOG DQG 0DUYLQ *D\H Wonder chronicled the full breadth and depth of the African- $PHULFDQH[SHULHQFHDQGPDGHLWERWKVSHFLÀFDQGXQLYHU- sal. Besides the plethora of hits, Wonder’s legacy includes the astonishing stretch of albums that began with 1972’s “Mu- sic of My Mind” and “Talking Book” and reached a pinnacle ZLWK ·V ´,QQHUYLVLRQVµ ·V ´)XOOÀOOLQJQHVV· )LUVW )L- nale” and 1976’s “Songs in the Key of Life.” Those last three HDUQHG:RQGHU*UDPP\$OEXPRIWKH<HDUKRQRUVIDPRXVO\ prompting Paul Simon to publicly thank Wonder for not re- leasing an album in 1975, the year he won that honor for “Still Crazy After All These Years.” 3 Such a stretch of condensed and consistent brilliance has been accomplished by very few artists—Bob Dylan, The Bea- tles and the Rolling Stones come to mind. Wonder’s been a cornerstone of popular music just as long as they have, a creator of unimpeachable funk, exquisite ballads, sharp- edged socio-political commentary and redemption songs that UHÁHFW WKHLU FUHDWRU·V DPELWLRQV VHQVLWLYLWLHV FXULRVLW\ DQG joy in living and performing. Icon and innovator, he’s a long- time natural Wonder. Born Stevland Morris in May of 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan (renamed Little Stevie Wonder when he signed to Motown’s Tamla label before turning 11), the artist was blinded at birth due to a miscalculation in the level of oxygen in his incubator. With a love of music sparked by the gift of a toy harmonica and drum kit, Wonder would soon play along to the radio on a real harmonica (an uncle’s gift), increasingly adept at accompanying hits of the day. By the time Motown signed him in 1961 (just as the label was exploding into the national consciousness), Wonder’s self-taught instrumental prowess extended to piano and or- gan and he began to blossom as a live performer on the inau- gural Motortown Revues. In 1963, the label decided to cap- ture Wonder’s stage magic in the manner of James Brown’s recently released “Live At The Apollo,” and at Chicago’s Regal Theater, he’d record the song that established his reputation — “Fingertips (Pt. 2).” With its frenzied call-and-response vo- cals and harmonica pyrotechnics, “Fingertips” would be Mo- WRZQ·V VHFRQG FKDUWWRSSLQJ VLQJOH IXHO WKH ODEHO·V ÀUVW DOEXP´5HFRUGHG/LYH7KH<HDU2OG*HQLXVµDQGPDUN WKHÀUVWWLPHDVLQJOHDQGWKHDOEXPLWFDPHIURPUHDFKHG VLPXOWDQHRXVO\ 7KHQ WKH ÀUVW OXOO DV 0RWRZQ IDLOHG WR IROORZ XS ZLWK JRRG ideas until 1965, when staff songwriter Sylvia Moy went WKURXJK :RQGHU·V MXVW VWDUWLQJWRÀOO VRQJ EDJ DQG VHQVHG the potential in a lyric snippet that began “Everything is al- right, uptight...” “Uptight (Everything’s Alright),” co-written ZLWK0R\ZDV:RQGHU·VÀUVWZULWLQJFUHGLWJRLQJUEDQG SRS7KHQWKHÀUVWZDYHRIVLQJOHVWZRYROXPHVRI´*UHDW- est Hits” were released in 1968 and 1971—you could have done a tribute like tonight’s back then! 4 In 1971, Wonder declared his independence from Motown on his 21st birthday (it was his legal right to disavow agreements VLJQHGDVDPLQRU)RXQGHU%HUU\*RUG\ZDVQRWKDSS\EXW wisely granted Wonder unprecedented creative control, in- cluding publishing and production companies. 7KHÀUVWIUXLWRIWKDWQHZIRXQGIUHHGRP·V´:KHUH,·P Coming From,” was not quite ripe (it never charted). It was ´0XVLF 2I 0\ 0LQGµ WKDW EHFDPH :RQGHU·V ÀUVW IXOO\ UHDO- L]HG DOEXP WKH ÀUVW RI ÀYH VWUDLJKW VHOISURGXFHG FODVVLFV It wasn’t a huge seller and only “Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)” approached hit status; in retro- spect, the evolution was on the production and increasingly border-less song writing side. :RQGHUZDVÀUVWDWWUDFWHGWRWKHZRUNRIHQJLQHHUV%RE0DU- gouleff and Malcolm Cecil via a pioneering all-synthesizer album project, Tonto’s Expanding Headband. They enabled Wonder to explore the new medium of Clavinets, Arps and Moogs and he ended up playing almost everything on the album himself, creating sounds that had not been heard be- fore, not for the sake of novelty but to deepen and enrich the HPRWLRQDOWLPEUHRIWKHVRQJV:RQGHUEHFDPHWKHÀUVWDUWLVW to make extensive use of synthesizers on his records, playing DUHYROXWLRQDU\UROHLQWKHHOHFWULÀFDWLRQRIPRGHUQPXVLF Margouleff and Cecil would help Wonder realize his vision WKURXJK´)XOÀOOLQJQHVV·)LUVW)LQDOHµDQGWKHRQWKHZRUNV of-genius coda “Songs In The Key Of Life,” there was no let- down in the riotous jazz homage of “Sir Duke” the adoring insinuation of “Isn’t She Lovely,” the aching “Pastime Para- GLVHµ DQG KDXQWLQJ ´9LOODJH *KHWWR /DQGµ EDODQFHG E\ WKH ballads “As” and the spiritual plea “Love’s In Need Of Love Today.” That double album is generally recognized as Won- GHU·VÀQHVWRIWKHÀQHVW Many would suggest that Wonder’s subsequent albums nev- er matched the quality of his ‘70s work, but you could offer a pre-1980 song list and a post-1980 one and there’d be al- most as many memorable moments in the latter. As tonight’s performers will attest, Wonder’s songs are easy to hum but often hard to sing. They’re also impossible to deny. 5 Featured Artists Stevie Wonder Featured Artists – in their own words 'HQRWHVWKLVLVWKHLUÀUVW%DQG+RXVHVKRZ Philadelphia native, sax man, Al Williams III was a member of “Ma- ceo and The Macks”, the *UDPP\ $ZDUG ZLQQLQJ Mongo Santamaria Band and “The Stanley Clarke School Days Band. He is a four time WAMMIE Win- ner. *Alfredo Mojica, Jr., per- cussionist and vocalist started playing at age of eight. He SHUIRUPV ZLWK WKH 86 $UP\ %DQG *HRUJH 'XNH *LO 6FRWW Herron, Patti Austin, Michelle N’Degociello, Santana, and 7KH*UDLQJHU%URWKHUV$OIUHGRLVHTXDOO\DWKRPHZLWK5% Blues, Latin, Caribbean, Brazilian, Funk, Rock and Pop. He won a WAMMIE for Instrumentalist and Vocalist. Andy Shriver – (guitar) performs live and in studio as gui- tarist, vocalist, composer, and producer, most recently with recording/touring act SideFX, Baltimore classic rock band Never Never, composer David Bach and renowned songwrit- ers and vocalists Daryl Jr. Cline and Mike Cotter. Andy also performed at the Rod Stewart tribute. * Anita King’s soulful and melodic voice has swept across the Washington D.C. area and brought her to sing across the United States and Europe, performing at presidential in- augurals, the Vatican, and the Super Bowl. She appeared on PBS along with Bobby McFerrin, Herbie Hancock, BeBe :LQDQV/HVOH\*RUHDQG'DOODV$XVWLQDVWKH\SDLGKRP- age to Quincy Jones. Anita has shared the stage with a host of legendary artists from many genres, including James In- gram, the late Isaac Hayes, Lyle Lovett, Vesta Williams, CeCe Winans, and Regina Bell. 6 Singer/songwriter Mary Ann Redmond is described in Bill- board as “Redmond is wowing club audiences as a complete- ly formed stylist, who sings heartfelt ballads and funky tunes with equal ease and en- thusiasm in an alto voice that soars effortlessly to soprano range.” * Attila Molnar is an interna- tional smooth jazz recording DUWLVWFRPSRVHUSURGXFHU He was one of the featured Mary Ann Redmond artists at the 2010 Dubai jazz festival and has played with U- Nam, Tim Bowman, Marion Meadows, Randy Scott, Slim- man, and is part of Peter White’s current touring band. Bill Starks LVD%DQG+RXVH*LJVVWDOZDUWDQG:$0$DZDUG winner who regularly performs with the Cathy Ponton King EDQGDQG5XWKLHWKH:UDQJOHUV+HVDYHGKLVVRGDERWWOH PRQH\WREX\KLVÀUVW6WHYLH:RQGHUUHFRUGDWWKHLQ Twinbrook. Keyboardist/vocalist Brian Simms is bandleader of Junk- yard Saints and performs and records with such DC no- tables as Patty Reese, Billy Coulter, and Chopteeth. Brian teaches at Towson University and was nominated for a 2009 *UDPP\ZLWKWKH%DOWLPRUHEDVHGEDQG0LONVKDNH Byron McWilliams (drums) plays regularly with the Dixie Power Trio. He has also performed with Jr. Cline and the Re- cliners and is currently known as Mighty Mouse because he came in and saved the day. Cesar Vanegas - Born in El Salvador, son of famous Salva- dorian singer Cesar Donald, played with the Tommy Lepson Band for 10 years. He now has his own Latin Jazz band Poco Loco and plays with salsa band Azucar Tumbao! *Chris Dennard, singer, has been performng since the age of 11, which has grown into a 9-year professional career. 6WHYLH :RQGHU LV RQH RI KLV PRVW LQÁXHQWLDO LFRQV &KULV 7 Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band hopes to deliver an astonishing performance worthy of one of his greatest idols. The core of the Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band sound is Af- robeat: a big-band funk invented by Fela Kuti in 1970’s Ni- geria. Afrobeat is a spicy stew of modern jazz, Yoruba tribal music and burning, James Brown-inspired rhythms, and LV DYDLODEOH LQ ÀQH IRUP RQ WKHLU WZR &' UHOHDVHV 0LFKDHO 6KHUHLNLV JXLWDU YRFDOV 9LFWRU &ULVHQ JXLWDU %ULDQ Simms / keyboards and vocals, Robert Fox / bass, Jason Walker / drums, David McDavitt / percussion, Mahiri Keita- Edwards / percussion, Justine Miller /trumpet and vocals, &KHU\O 7HUZLOOLJHU WUXPSHW 0DUN *LOEHUW VD[RSKRQHV 7UHYRU6SHFKWVD[RSKRQHVÁXWHDQGYRFDOV Pianist and organist John Hurd moves easily among all musi- cal genres. In addition to stints with Jr. Cline and The Reclin- ers, The Newports, Soul Crackers, and Tom Cunningham’s Big Band, he is music director at St. Columba’s Church. Chuck Underwood has performed with many ensembles from the National Symphony to Patti Labelle. He is currently part of the Landon adjunct music faculty where he has been teaching jazz guitar and music theory for the past 14 years. Danny Schwartz (drums) has served in several capacities ZLWK%+*VLQFH+HSHUIRUPVDVFKLOGUHQ·VFKDUDFWHU Ryan Buckle. As an audio engineer, Danny has been award- 8 ed Best Live Sound Engineer for the last 4 years by WAMA. Danny is currently the production manager at The Hamilton. Singer songwriter Deeme Katson is ecstatic to perform in her WK%+*VKRZLQWULEXWHWR6WHYLH:RQGHU·VVRQJVRIORYH and social justice. A favorite musical movie moment: the end of High Fidelity, when John Cusack’s character starts the mixtape he’s made after reuniting with his ex, and “I Believe :KHQ,)DOO,Q/RYH,W:LOO%H)RUHYHUµÀOOVWKHURRP *From Detroit, Deren Blessman began playing drums at DJHHLJKW3ULPDULO\VHOIWDXJKWKLVPDMRULQÁXHQFHZDVKLV father, James, who was a jazz saxophonist. With a strong EDFNJURXQGLQMD]]IXQNJRVSHOURFNDQG5%'HUHQSHU- forms with Mary Ann Redmond and Eric Scott, as well as a host of other local greats. Doug Elliott is a lifelong resident of Silver Spring and has performed around the world as solo jazz trombonist with the US Air Force Airmen of Note. He currently plays lead trom- bone with the Artie Shaw Orchestra and co-leads the Swing- topia Jazz Octet. :LWK LQÁXHQFHV EOXUULQJ WKH OLQHV RI QHRVRXO SRS IXQN rock, and gospel, Eric Scott has arrived at a sound that LVXQLTXHO\KLVRZQ$WLPH%+*YHWHUDQKHUHFHQWO\UH- leased his 4th solo album, “Where The Water Runs Deepest”. Greg Hardin – (bass) anchored Jr. Cline and the Recliners for 20 years. Currently he performs with Ruthie and the Wran- JOHUV *UHJ UHFHQWO\ UHOHDVHG KLV ÀUVW VROR &' HIIRUW ´0HHW Mr. Knuckles” and his song “Babe Ruth’s Piano” was named 6RQJRIWKH<HDUE\:$0$*UHJKHOSVNHHSWKH%+* team running. *Jay Cooley -arranger, composer, clinician and jazz pianist in the Washington area since 1975. He is currently the pia- nist for the WAMMIE award winning Bruce Swain Quartet. * Harmonica player Jay Summerour has been involved with music for well over 40 years. Beginning his musical educa- tion on the trumpet at age seven, he learned the harmonica from his grandfather Smack Martin and later Sonny Terry, James Cotton and Magic Dick. Summerour has performed ZLWKWKH6WDUODQG9RFDO%DQGDQG*ULQ 9 Drummer and spontaneous percussion- ist Jim Clatterbuck plays with 40-Dol- lar Fine, The McDuffees, and is the %DQG+RXVH *LJV ´JRDWHHµ JX\ -LP LVDJUHDWKHOSZLWKWKH%+*WHDP Julia Nixon (vocals) made a suc- cessful comeback after a 12 city tour in Russia, a performance in 0RURFFR IRU WKH *UDQG 3UL[ DQG a sold out one woman show, “The Impossible Dream” at the Signature Theatre. She won a WAMMIE for best Urban Contemporary vocalist. Justine Miller (trumpet and vocals) has been freelancing in the DC metropolitan area for... ever. She is currently Julia Nixon trumpeting, vocalizing and re- FRUGLQJZLWK&KRSWHHWK*LQD'H6LPRQHDQGWKH0RDQHUV Bay Jazz Project, Sweetwater and her own project Justine Miller and Friends. LEA is overjoyed every time the good folks of BandHouse think of her. Singing Stevie’s inspired music is just anoth- er excuse to hang out with VRPHRI'&·VÀQHVW LEA *Kenny Wesley a classically trained pianist and vocalist whose voice spans 4 octaves, FRPSRVHG KLV ÀUVW WXQH E\ age nine. He has shared the stage with many legendary artists, and his music has been on television programs including FOX’s “So You Think You Can Dance” and ABC’s “The View”. 10 Michael Shereikis a founding member of Chopteeth Afro- funk Big Band, produces some of the premier African artists LQWKH'&DUHDIRULQGLHODEHO*ULJUL'LVFV+HOHDUQHGWRSOD\ guitar by ear while living in Africa, making him a rhythmic, SRFNHWSOD\HUZKRFDQSUREDEO\ÀQGWKHFKRUG\RXZDQWEXW won’t know what to call it. *Paul Langosch has been playing Double Bass profession- ally for 40 years. He has had the opportunity to perform with many of the Jazz greats including: Herb Ellis, Johnny Hart- man, Tal Farlow, Phil Woods, Al Cohn, Ralph Sharon, Joe LaBarbera and Harold Jones. Paul Pisciotta has played bass with Big Yankee Dollar and Jr. Cline, and is currently with 40 Dollar Fine and The Billy 6KHDUV%DQG3DXOLVDPDMRUSDUWLFLSDQWZLWK%+* Peter NissenFKDUWVYRFDOVKDVFUHDWHGPXVLFIRU&RPH- dy Central, E! and an Off-off Broadway production of Shake- speare’s Twelfth Night set to Dixieland. He is a member of the Tone Rangers, one of DC’s premier a cappella groups, and is an Emmy-winning television producer who currently works for DHS and The Today Show. *Rochelle Rice is up and coming jazz and contemporary vocalist. She holds a masters degree in jazz studies from Howard University and is a member of premiere jazz vocal ensemble, Afro Blue. * Skip Mahoney and the Casuals have been performing for over 30 years formed in Washington DC. The members are 5RJHU&KDSPDQ*HRUJH1RUULV0RUULV&REE6NLS0DKRQH\ All through high school Skip’s other Nick name was Wonder. ,QWKHHDUO\·VWKH\KDGWZRKLWVRQJV:KHUH(YHU<RX*R and Bless My Soul. *The Sidleys, the powerful singing/songwriting/multi-in- strumentalist duo of Annie and Steve Sidley, have often been GHVFULEHGDVPHORGLFVRXOLQÁXHQFHGLQGLHURFN7KH\·YHUH- FRUGHGDQGWRXUHGQDWLRQDOO\DQGZLOOEHUHOHDVLQJWKHLUÀUVW album under the name The Sidleys in 2013, and they consid- HU6WHYLH:RQGHUWREHRQHRIWKHPRVWLPSRUWDQWLQÁXHQFHV on their songwriting and performance careers. 11 Soul Crackers Soul Crackers - this Motown Soul band formed in 1982 headed by lead singer Tommy Lepson, also includes Ron- nie Newmyer/bass; Spencer Hoopes/keyboards; Dave Egel- hofer/guitar; Wayne Sulk/sax; Chris Hutton/trumpet; and Chuck Sullivan/drums. They recently released <HDUV RI 6RXOavailable on CD and iTunes. Tommy Lepson - Hammond player and vocalist is a WAMA Hall of Fame member and has toured the world for over 40 years. In 2011 he performed at the Montreux Festival and recently won the WAMMIE for Blues Vocalist. Victor Crisen brings years of experience on the stage and in studio. He is a member of Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band and can be heard getting funky, or in another style, with various area bands as a hired guitar slinger. *Vince Evans has toured and recorded with many nation- DO DUWLVWV VXFK DV /DUU\ *UDKDP -RQDWKDQ %XWOHU *HRUJH 'XNH*HRUJH%HQVRQ3ULQFH/HQQ\:KLWHDQG%LOO:LWKHUV to name a few. He has served as Musical Director for Phyl- lis Hyman, Melba Moore, Vesta Williams and Patti Austin among others. Will Henderson got interested in playing guitar as a teen- ager but decided to play bass in his early twenties. He did a few tours with the Dynamic Superiors but stopped playing in 1980 and picked it back up in ‘05 when he lost his leg. 12 The Story of BandHouse Gigs -%DQG+RXVH*LJVIRXQGHG in 2004 by local Bethesda musicians and producers Ronnie Newmyer, Chuck Sullivan, David Sless, and Danny Schwartz, is the DC area’s premier producer of one-of-a-kind tribute concerts, bringing together scores of acclaimed local and re- gional acts to perform works drawn from iconic artists and LQÁXHQWLDOPXVLFDOPRYHPHQWV Past concerts have included tributes to Nils Lofgren, Joni Mitchell, Woodstock, the British Invasion, Paul Simon, and Rod Stewart among others. These tributes also serve to shine a light on the area’s diverse and richly talented musicians, putting them on top notch concert stages in front of attentive audiences. This collaboration also includes writers, graph- ic artists, videographers, photographers, make-up artists, lighting designers, marketing professionals, and audio engi- neers. Together we are the BandHouse Team and we know that you make it all possible. %DQG+RXVH *LJV LV D QRWIRUSURÀW HQWLW\ DQG LV D UHJXODU FRQWULEXWRUWR+XQJU\)RU0XVLFDQRQSURÀWWKDWSURYLGHV musical instruments to underprivileged children, as well as DVXSSRUWHURI+RSH/LQHDQRQSURÀWLQLWLDWLYHWRKHOSZLWK addiction treatment. Several past shows are available on CD Baby and ITunes. In addition we have lots of professional 4-camera videos posted on YouTube. Please check our NEW website for more information: bandhousegigs.com 13 Producer’s Notes We want to thank all of you for following us to The Fillmore to hear some great renditions from Stevie Wonder’s repertoire. Stevie is such an American icon, and has written so many great songs for DOPRVW \HDUV WKDW LW ZDV GLIÀFXOW WR SDUH WKH OLVW GRZQ IRU D single concert. Since his early days as Little Stevie to today, his music elevates HYHU\JHQUHKHSHUIRUPVLQFOXGLQJ5%VRXOIXQNSRSDQGMD]] Stevie sings like no one, but he also blows a chromatic harmonica DGLIÀFXOWDQGUDUHVNLOOSOD\VGUXPVDOPRVWLQWXLWLYHO\KDVLQ- novated the synthesizer along with every other type of keyboard, arranges horn sections; in short he does it all and there is no one like him in the world. While most of his songs are about romance and various kinds of love, Stevie Wonder takes his notoriety seriously by promoting so- cial change and fairness – all in a musical manner that draws the listener in before they even realize the song’s intentions. It has been our pleasure to reacquaint ourselves with his extensive collection, and hearing how his production evolved over the years, breaking new ground, while remaining true to his roots. We are especially pleased with the many new-comers on this show to help us pay tribute to one of the greatest songwriters in the history of American music. Please visit our new website at bandhousegigs.com to register for updates on future shows. We truly appreciate your support and hope you continue to attend future shows – wherever they may be. 14 Eric Scott Skip Mahoney and the Casuals Kenny Wesley Anita King 15 Here is the BandHouse Team! Master of Ceremonies: Ronnie Newmyer and David “Dude” Sless Stage Management:*UHJ+DUGLQ3DXO3LVFLRWWD.HQ)DUUHQ 6SHQFHU+RRSHV-LP&ODWWHUEXFN&KXFN6XOOLYDQ*LQD&RFFR Drew Holland, and Mike Dove Audio Engineering: Danny Schwartz Merchandise: Dan Moskowitz, Keith Jones Volunteer Coordinator: Desi Farren Volunteers: -DQHW*DUEH-HQL%OHVVPDQ6XVDQQD6XOOLYDQ Backstage Hospitality: Lorraine Birks Poster Design: Dick Bangham and RipBang Pictures Program Design: *LQD&RFFR Program Notes: Richard Harrington Top Chef: Armand’s Pizza Hair & Make-up: Barbara Roybal, Barbara Lacey, and Beauty At Your Door Video Crew: John Collins, Suzanne Hickey, Terry McArdle, Miles Roberts, and Happy Medium Productions Photography: Linda Parker, Kenny Reff Marketing Support: Mark Walston, Deb Schwartz Stage Props: $QGUHDDQG7RP+RVWHWOHU6KRZVLWHV Community Support: Mike Schreibman and the Washington Area Music Association 16