Stevie Wonder To Spread 'Love' Next Spring

[vashti1999]

If you, like me, are a Stevie Wonder fan, you already know: don't hold your breath waiting for this to come out.

Stevie Wonder To Spread 'Love' Next Spring

After several delays, Stevie Wonder's new studio album, "A Time 2 Love," is expected to be out in April via Motown.

"As an artist, you get anxious and excited -- you want to show what you can do," Wonder tells Billboard in an exclusive interview for the Dec. 11 issue, on newsstands today (Dec. 3). "But for me, I had to make a real decision not to rush. I wasn't feeling that the timing is right. A lot of what I do when I do an album is based on whether the timing is right."

"A Time 2 Love" will be Wonder's first studio set since 1995's "Conversation Peace," which debuted at No. 16 on The Billboard 200. "I didn't mean for that to happen," he says of the amount of time that elapsed between projects. "On the other hand, it wasn't a panic-mode situation, either, where we've got to do this or we're going to have a problem up in here."

The set will be a single-disc affair, although Wonder says, "in these nine years I've done more than just the songs that will be on the album. And it's going good. In these nine years I've found the songs that feel most comfortable for me."

Among the tracks earmarked for the set are "If the Creek Don't Rise" ("something I wrote a while back that I recently revisited," Wonder says) and "If Your Love Cannot Be Moved," the latter of which features live instrumentation by Wonder and several guest spots.

"I have myself playing, some symphony musicians from [Los Angeles] and Doug E. Fresh doing a little beat-box thing," he reveals. "I also have a female talking-drum player from Nigeria. And we're going to have the West Los Angeles choir sing. I'm going to record the choir at the church."

After "Time" is released, Wonder says he has "three immediate goals": a "jazz album with harmonica," a gospel album and a musical.

As previously reported, the artist will receive the Century Award, Billboard's highest honor for creative achievement, Wednesday (Dec. 8) at the Billboard Music Awards. Several artists, including Diana Ross and Mary J. Blige, will be on hand to salute Wonder during the event, which will air live on Fox.




-- Gail Mitchell, L.A.

http://www.billboard.com/

[AKA]

Let's hope this actually gets released sometime before we're all dead and gone.

[MissZero]

I'll believe it when I see it no the shelf.

[musicradio77]

Stevie Wonder is making a comeback for his new album "A Time 2 Love" which will come out this Spring. This is his first studio album in 5 years.

[jamesanthony]

I thought this guy had retired

He's cool though, It'll be interesting to see how it sells. He's won 3 grammies and several other awards since his last album, so he is still highly respected. And when I hear a harmonica solo on a record there's a good chance that it's him moonlighting on a side project.

[vashti1999]

(New York, NY) "So What The Fuss," Stevie Wonder's new single will hit radio stations in early March, the initial release from his much anticipated new album, A Time To Love, which is scheduled to be in stores on May 3rd.

"A Time To Love is a statement within itself," Wonder has said of the new disc. "There's been a time for war, a time to imprison, a time to hurt and break down. More than ever we need a time to love."

Sylvia Rhone, President of Motown/Executive Vice President of Universal Records, hails Wonder's album as both a watershed moment for the artist, and for the music industry as a whole. "It's a vital album by an indispensable artist at the height of his creative powers," stated Ms. Rhone. "Each song stands as a vibrant entry point to the cultural and musical pulse that Stevie has had his finger on for more than 40 years."

Stevie Wonder has remained one of the truly essential artists of our lifetime. Winner of 22 Grammy awards, as well as an Academy Award, creator of more than 25 #1 Pop and R&B hits, with more than 70 million records sold, the youngest-ever Kennedy Center honoree and recipient of hundreds of awards -including the 2004 Billboard Century Award - the Michigan native emerged as the definitive artist of Motown's golden era to become one of the the most prolific singer/songwriters in music history.

Cited by a new generation of urban and hip hop artists as one of today's seminal musical and cultural influences, Wonder is also recognized for putting a human face on countless social issues. A tireless champion for political and social justice, Wonder was the preeminent force behind the Martin Luther King holiday and USA For Africa, as well as helping to raise awareness about the AIDS epidemic and the scourge of Apartheid in South Africa. A leading voice in the fight against world hunger, Wonder also put his highly personal touch to his own causes here at home, including his annual House Full Of Toys Benefit Concert.

Click HERE to hear/stream (Windows Media Player required) Stevie's new jammin' single "So What The Fuss."

[musicradio77]

It's great to hear Stevie's new song "So What the Fuss", his first single in so many years. I don't know if it is a hit or not. Will see. I always been a Stevie Wonder fan. If you want to see my board, here is the Stevie Wonder board on my message board.

Click here

[marvin g]

Back in the 60's he had some good instrumentals LP's. One of which he released with his name spelled backwards. It had some 60's style instrumental versions of other 60's songs. With contemporary jazz being so popular I would love to hear him do a instrument CD in the Kim Waters or Ronny Jordan vein.

[vashti1999]

I guess we'll find out tomorrow for sure if this is coming out. Even though it's been advertised, I've been reading that it's been postponed again and won't be released tomorrow after all. We'll see. Here's a review:


Wonder’s ‘Love’ is so satisfying
By Ron Wynn, rwynn@nashvillecitypaper.com

The release date for Stevie Wonder’s new CD has been pushed back so many times over the past year that some fans wondered if the label would ever put it out. Rumors about Wonder’s unhappiness with the sound quality of some cuts and concerns about the set’s commercial prospects have also been floating around, amplified every time the disc’s issue time was changed. But unless something else unexpected happens, this week A Time To Love (Motown/Universal) finally appears on the streets. Wonder recently answered some of his critics in a statement issued online that said, among other things, “my thing has never been about creating music on some sort of schedule.” Whatever the case, the disc’s first single “So What The Fuss” has an upbeat, optimistic and contemporary sensibility, setting the stage for a CD whose sentimental tone and decidedly upbeat lyrical themes are unusual in these cynical times. The title track features Wonder in a gorgeous duet with co-writer India.Arie, while other fine cuts include “From The Bottom Of My Heart” and “Positivity.” Wonder’s achievements, signature songs and monster releases are so great that whether this disc proves a smash won’t matter in the long run. But it would be great if his music enjoys the same reception that Prince’s CD received last year. Whatever the Soundscan results, it’s a pleasure to finally have A Time To Love in the marketplace.

[musicradio77]

Originally Posted by marvin g

Back in the 60's he had some good instrumentals LP's. One of which he released with his name spelled backwards. It had some 60's style instrumental versions of other 60's songs. With contemporary jazz being so popular I would love to hear him do a instrument CD in the Kim Waters or Ronny Jordan vein.

You're right! Stevie Wonder released an album of instrumental favorites. It was called "Eivets Rednow". I have it on cassette. The LP came out in around 1968. The album was on a Gordy label, but not exactly Tamla.

[jamesanthony]

I don't like the first single So What the Fuss, but if the tunes are upbeat I'll give it a listen. God knows upbeat tunes are scarce on the charts now.

[vashti1999]

Stevie Wonder Cuts It Close

Friday, August 12, 2005

By Roger Friedman

Fox News

Stevie: Wonder If He'll Make Grammy Deadline?

Stevie Wonder's much anticipated, often postponed new album, called "A Time 2 Love," may actually be released in time to make the Grammy Awards deadline. That's Oct. 1, if you're interested.

Last night, I ran into Motown Records president Sylvia Rhone at Stevie's historic, memorable concert at the Apollo Theater. She confirmed it, sort of.

"9/27," she said of the album release date. "You heard Stevie say it."

Actually, from the stage of the Apollo, Stevie directly addressed Rhone and her boss, Doug Morris, head of Universal Music Group. (Motown fell into Universal's clutches years ago.)

Stevie told the audience, "I know! I know! But it's really coming out. They say they want it out for September 20th, I say the 27th."

I'm sure either date would be fine for Morris and Rhone, since "A Time 2 Love" was scheduled for released on June 17, 2004.

That's right. Stevie did an outdoor concert for "Good Morning America" and did an hour on "Oprah" to promote it. Then: no album.

Since then, two singles have been released to radio, including one featuring Prince. But the actual release date of the album, Stevie's first since the 1995 classic "Conversation Peace," has been elusive.

When I saw him backstage after the show last night, America's supreme music talent was wearing sunglasses with the "A Time 2 Love" logo in gold on the temples.

"A friend had a couple of pairs made up for me," Wonder said as he received accolades from friends after the show. "I think the album is coming out."

Rhone claims that "A Time 2 Love" has gone to "mastering," which means it's being readied for manufacture and release. We can only hope.

Meantime, Chris Rock and Paul Shaffer were among the celebrities who packed the Apollo for Stevie's second and last show at the famous Harlem theater in a week.

The occasion for both shows was to raise awareness for voters' rights and to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act on Aug. 6, 1965.

By coincidence, Stevie can count Aug. 6 as an important date in his life too.

On Aug. 6, 1973, he was in a terrible car crash. It left him in a coma for two weeks. Subsequently, he wrote the album "Innervisions," which featured a song about his experience called "Higher Ground." Both the album and song were enormous hits critically and financially.

Last night's show was dedicated to both events, but here's something interesting: At the start of the show, Stevie played clips from Paola DiFlorio's important documentary, "Home of the Brave," about the Voter Rights March from Selma, Ala., to Montgomery, Ala., in March 1965.

Apparently, the film was shown on Court TV on Aug. 1. If only someone from that channel had told us, we would have told you. "Home of the Brave" is an important and mostly unseen film.

But back to Stevie. He showcased Chuck Jackson, the veteran R&B performer whose voice has never been richer or stronger. Jackson — his hits included "Any Day Now" and "I Keep Forgettin'" — was also a producer of both shows. Wonder also showed off a couple of other singers who spelled him during the three-hour show.

The evening, though, was Stevie's. Dressed in a black suit and orange t-shirt, he proved to be a witty and intelligent host of his own evening. He spoke off-the-cuff and never lost his way.

If you've ever seen him before, you know that Stevie is an excellent mimic and story-teller. He outdid himself last night. But when he settled down to perform his music, the evening took on a life of its own.

He ran through a panoply of his hits including "My Cherie Amour," "Uptight Alright," "I Wish," "Sir Duke," "Rocket Love," "Did I Hear You Say You Love Me?" "Master Blaster Jammin'," "As," "Too Shy to Say," "Superstition," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "Where Were You When I Needed You," "Send One Your Love," "Love's in Need of Love Today," "Do I Do," "Higher Ground," and his 1971 hit "If You Really Love Me."

The latter was so good that it pretty much catapulted the show into another orbit. It was transcendent.

Wonder also performed "Isn't She Lovely," singing it with the audience to his now-29-year-old daughter, Aisha, about whom the song was written.

Grown now and the mother of a 5-year-old, Aisha — a beautiful, poised young woman with a sensational voice — joined Stevie singing a duet from "A Time 2 Love" called "How Will I Know."

If they can get the album out before Oct. 1, the song could wind up being a Best Song/Record nominee. It's that good.

Stevie also performed "So What the Fuss" from the new album. He sang a little of "If You Break My Heart," and joked, "It's my new single — please buy it so we can get Christmas gifts for the kids this year."

The audience danced, crowded the stage and hung from the rafters. It was one of those amazing nights no one there will ever forget. And — as opposed to the hideously expensive concert tickets for the Rolling Stones ($450) and Paul McCartney ($270), it was a relative bargain (top price $124).

As Stevie said at the end, "This was great. Let's do it again, soon."

[Steve M.]

In Square Circle was supposed to come out in 1983, but it got pushed back all the away back to 1985. NBy the time it came out, some folks were wondering if the album was worth a five-year wait. Three years, maybe, but five years? September 27? I'll believe it when I see it.

[jamesanthony]

He sure is taking his time with this album. By the time it comes out people might have lost interest.

[Dean Winchester]

what's the holdup with his album? I remember it was supposed to be out about 3 months ago, he even released a single and video for the leadoff song.

Methinks Stevie has been hanging out with Axl too much lately, lol