Stevie Wonder released Songs in the Key of Life 50 years ago. The double LP was the creative apex of an unprecedented musical genius that began four years before in 1972 with a string of albums that changed American music forever. Last weekend, the Black Rock Coalition (BRC) Orchestra celebrated those landmark albums at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) with the concert series Stevie: A Life in the Key of Songs.
The BRC refused to confine Wonder’s landmark albums — “Music of My Mind,” “Talking Book,” “Innervisions,” “Fulfillingness’ First Finale,” and “Songs in the Key of Life” — to just one show. Instead, the collective played all five albums in entirety over three nights and gave the excited Brooklyn contingent access to Wonder’s genius.
The rhythm section was controlled by the shows’ co-musical directors: BRC Director of Operations Darrell M. McNeill (bass) and Willie Mae Rock Camp LaFrae Sci (drums). The two set the tone for the more than 20 musicians who shared the stage at BAM’s gorgeous Howard Gilman Opera House. The elegant music hall provided a serene backdrop for Wonder’s transcendent catalog, further enticing an already eager audience.
BRC performed two albums, front to back, each night — night one, “Music of My Mind” and “Talking Book”; night two, “Innervisions” and “Fulfillingness First Finale”; night three, “Songs in the Key of Life.” For the most part, McNeill and Sci stayed true to the original arrangements of the songs. This decision was proved wise, evident with lush renditions of “Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You),” “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” “Sir Duke,” and “I Wish.”
Each singer, including the Family Stand, gave spirited takes on the songs, but they shined the best when the songs were stripped down. Vocalist Xavier Smith brought the house down on ballads like “You and I” and “Too Shy To Say,” only accompanied by Roots keyboardist Ray Angry and dreamy synth effects from Leon Gruenbaum. Smith’s powerful baritone and emotional falsetto brought the crowd to its feet each time.
While most of the songs had familiar arrangements, there were a few instances when the performers toyed with new styles. On night one, the ensemble transformed the rustic R&B of “Music of My Mind” album cut “I Love Every Little Thing About You” into a thumping disco explosion. On night three, the band molded “Have a Talk With God” from a mid-tempo cut on “Songs in the Key of Life” to a 1960s-era funk/soul revival.
The Family Stand gave some of the more raucous vocals over the three days. The harmonic power of Sandra St. Victor, Peter Lord, and V. Jeffrey Scott induced animated reactions from the audience on songs like “Jesus Children of America” and “They Won’t Go When I Go.”
Even with so many amazing vocal performances each night, the musicians had ample moments to shine, particularly harmonica player Grégoire Maret. The Grammy winner took the place of the singer on one song on the first two nights. His mixing of melody and improvisation on “Girl Blue,” and “Big Brother,” “He’s Misstra Know-It-All,” and “It Ain’t No Use” were soothing and poignant. Jazz guitarist Mark Wright swirled and swung with well-timed precision of songs like “Too High” and “Visions.”
Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid kicked tail with signature solos on the funk/rock jams “Maybe Your Baby” and “You Haven’t Done Nothing.” Living Colour frontman Corey Glover only appeared on the final evening, despite being billed for two nights. He made up for lost time with dynamic vocals on “Joy Inside My Tears” and “I Wish.”
What took each night to incredible heights were the unannounced special guest vocalists: the Brooklyn audience. The crowd participation was awesome, whether singing the horn parts on “I Wish” or mimicking the Jackson 5 background vocal parts on the chorus of “You Haven’t Done Nothin.’”
Although the BRC did the albums front to back for the most part, McNeill and Sci plucked each of the LP showstoppers to close each album. For instance, “Superstition” closed the “Talking Book” set despite having fallen to number six on the album’s track list. Meanwhile, rather than ending the finale night with the “Songs in the Key of Life” actual closer, the Latin disco classic “Another Star” was the penultimate song, flip-flopping with “As,” a song that’s regarded as Wonder’s finest composition.
The biggest takeaways from these performances is how they put Wonder’s artistic progression front and center. Seeing the BRC and the Family Stand tackle Wonder’s fabled five-album run of the 1970s not only honored the time-tested projects, but it made the audience track the 25-time Grammy winner’s evolution as a songwriter. For Wonder to go from “Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)” at age 21 to composing something like “As” at age 26 is nothing short of miraculous.