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Sir Stevie: Jammin' on Stevie Wonder - Part 1

By Ludovico Granvassu | Mondo Jazz
May 23, 2020
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Stevie Wonder has more entries in the Real Book than any other pop musician, The Beatles included. It is not surprising therefore that his Songbook has been mined by hundreds of jazz musicians, including the likes of Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Dexter Gordon or Herbie Hancock.

To mark the 70th birthday of Stevie Wonder this week we will feature some of the best jazz renditions of his compositions. In this segment we focus, in particular, on renditions from the '70s which payed tribute to hits from his "classic period," making sure to keep a safe distance from those which veered too dangerously towards smooth jazz or stayed too close to the original. We wrap up the set with engaging tributes by present-day musicians.

Happy listening!

Playlist

Ben Allison "Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00
Ahmad Jamal "Superstition" Ahmad Jamal '73 (20th Century) 0:16
Host talks 4:20
Ray Barretto "Pastime Paradise" La Cuna (CTI) 6:12
Gary Bartz's NTU Troop "Black Maybe" Juju Street Songs (Prestige) 14:33
Phil Upchurch, Tennyson Stephens "Tell Me Something Good" Upchurch/Tennyson (Kudu) 24:08
Host talks 30:03
Charles Earland "I Was Made to Love Her" Soul Story (Prestige) 31:26
Les McCann "Seems So Long" Talk to the People (Atlantic) 34:14
Richard Tee "Jesus Children of America" Strokin' (Tappan Zee) 37:16
Host talks 41:56
Ramsey Lewis "Uptight" Wade in the Water (Cadet) 43:56
David "Fathead" Newman "Sylvia" The Many Facets of David Newman (Atlantic) 49:39
Lionel Hampton "Where Were You When I Needed You?" Stop! I Don't Need No Sympathy! (Brunswick) 52:55
Host talks 56:41
Max Ionata "I Wish" Two for Stevie (Via Veneto Jazz / Jandomusic) 58:27
Ralph Alessi "Same Old Story" Cognitive Dissonance (CAM Jazz) 1:00:12
Vijay Iyer Trio "Big Brother" Historicity (ACT) 1:04:03
Host talks 1:08:51
Collin Walcott, Don Cherry, Nana Vasconcelos "Colemanwonder: Race Face / Sortie / Sir Duke" Codona (ECM) 1:11:01
Avishai Cohen, Yonathan Avishai "Sir Duke" Playing the Room (ECM) 1:14:38

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About Stevie Wonder

Instrument: Vocals

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