''Natural Wonder'' is a live album by American musician
Stevie Wonder, released in 1995 and recorded in
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
, Japan and
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the ...
, Israel. The tour featured different symphony orchestras at some venues, conducted by touring conductor Henry Panion III.
It is his fourth live album after ''
Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius'' (1963), ''
Stevie Wonder Live'' (1970), and ''
Live at the Talk of the Town'' (also 1970).
Content
The album comprises songs from throughout his career, spanning 1969's ''
My Cherie Amour'' to 1995's ''
Conversation Peace'', in addition to the debut of three new songs - "Dancing to the Rhythm", the Stevie Ray Vaughn tribute "Stevie Ray Blues", and "Ms. & Mr. Little Ones". Wonder also performs "Stay Gold", a song he sang and co-write with composer Carmine Coppola for Coppola's score to ''
The Outsiders''.
Track listing
Disc one
# "Dancing to the Rhythm" – 7:07
# "Love's in Need of Love Today" – 6:02
# "
Master Blaster (Jammin')
"Master Blaster (Jammin')" is a 1980 song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released as the lead single from his nineteenth studio album, '' Hotter than July'' (1980). It was a major hit, spending seven weeks at number one on the U ...
" – 3:36
# "Stevie Ray Blues" – 2:27
# "
Higher Ground" – 3:59
# "Rocket Love" – 4:47
# "Stay Gold" – 4:21
# "
Ribbon in the Sky" – 8:37
# "
Pastime Paradise
"Pastime Paradise" is a song by American musician Stevie Wonder, from the 1976 album ''Songs in the Key of Life''. The song was one of the first to use a synthesizer (the Yamaha GX-1) to sound like a full string section. Built initially from s ...
" – 3:22
# "If It's Magic" – 3:34
# "Ms. & Mr. Little Ones" – 4:17
# "Village Ghetto Land" – 3:26
# "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing" – 4:20
Disc two
# "
Overjoyed" – 3:59
# "
My Cherie Amour" – 3:20
# "
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" is a soul song, by American musician Stevie Wonder, released in June 1970 as a single on Motown's Tamla label. It spent six weeks at number one on the U.S. R&B chart and peaked at number three on the U.S ...
" – 2:45
# "
Living for the City
"Living for the City" is a 1973 single by Stevie Wonder from his ''Innervisions'' album. It reached number 8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and number 1 on the R&B chart. ''Rolling Stone'' ranked the song number 104 on their 2004 list of th ...
" – 4:26
# "
Sir Duke
"Sir Duke" is a song composed and performed by Stevie Wonder from his 1976 album ''Songs in the Key of Life''. Released as a single in 1977, the track topped the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Black Singles charts, and reached number two in the UK ...
" – 2:46
# "
I Wish" – 4:06
# "
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
"You Are the Sunshine of My Life" is a 1973 single released by Stevie Wonder. The song became Wonder's third number-one single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and his first number-one on the Easy Listening chart. It won Wonder a Grammy Award f ...
" – 2:21
# "
Superstition" – 5:37
# "
I Just Called to Say I Love You
"I Just Called to Say I Love You" is a ballad written, produced, and performed by American R&B singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder. It was a major international hit, and remains Wonder's best-selling single to date, having topped a record 19 char ...
" – 4:38
# "
For Your Love
"For Your Love" is a rock song written by Graham Gouldman and recorded by English group the Yardbirds. Released in March 1965, it was their first top ten hit in both the UK and the US. The song was a departure from the group's blues roots ...
" – 5:06
# "
Another Star" – 5:55
Personnel
* Stevie Wonder – vocals, keyboards, grand piano,
harmonica
Band
* Herman Jackson – keyboards
* Isaiah Sanders – keyboards
* Rick Zunigar – guitars
*
Nathan Watts
Nathan or Natan may refer to:
People
*Nathan (given name), including a list of people and characters with this name
*Nathan (surname)
*Nathan (prophet), a person in the Hebrew Bible
* Nathan (son of David), biblical figure, son of King David an ...
– bass, musical director
*
Gerry Brown
Gerry “The Gov.” Brown is a recording engineer, mixer and music producer based in Los Angeles, best known for his work with artists including Whitney Houston, John Legend, Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, Sting, Prince, Phil Collins, Marcu ...
– drums
* Munyungo Jackson – percussion
* Keith John – backing vocals
* Panzie Johnson – backing vocals
* Marva King – backing vocals
Orchestra
*
Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
The is recognized as the oldest symphony orchestra in Japan. It was founded in 1911 and debuted at the original Matsuzakaya store in Nagoya as the . It relocated to Tokyo in 1938. As of 2005, it has 166 members.
The orchestra plays frequently ...
*
Paul Riser
Paul Riser (born September 11, 1943) is an American trombonist and Motown musical arranger who was responsible for co-writing and arranging dozens of top ten hit records. His legacy as one of the " Funk Brothers" is similar to that of most of ...
– orchestrations and arrangements
* Dr. Henry Panion, III – conductor
* Fredrick Charley – orchestra librarian
* Steve Torok – orchestra librarian
Production
* Stevie Wonder – producer, arrangements
* Peter Edmonds – production manager
* George Packer – production manager
* Danny Leake – recording engineer, FOH engineer
* Tohru "Kiku" Kikuchi – system engineer
* Gary Adante – editing, mixing
* Robert A. Arbittier – editing, mixing
* Chris Bellman – mastering at
Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)
* Brian O'Neal – liner notes
* Jackie Salway – art direction, design
* James Minchin III – photography
* David Safian – photography
* Eddie Wolfl – photography
References
{{Authority control
1995 live albums
Stevie Wonder live albums
Motown live albums
Albums produced by Stevie Wonder