The last twelve months has, in my opinion, been an unprecedented year for live music in London with a number of bands and artists visiting the capital. Music with a funk vibe has been no exception with Stevie Wonder visiting the UK for the first time in many years; Roy Ayers taking up residence in the Jazz Cafe for a week; the brilliant Incognito celebrating thirty years and outstanding performances by the effervescent Maceo Parker. The Vibe Ride team attended all these gigs and have some more in the pipeline. So we decided to upload some photos from those gigs and do a review of those that we have seen already.
I was fortunate to see Stevie Wonder perform twice in the UK in 2008. Once in London and once in Birmingham. People of my age often are not aware that he was a child star and so has been performing for most of his life. His performance at age 58 was amazing. He had two keyboards at the front of the stage and moved from one to the other as he played hit after hit. The sets he played were a little different each time which was great for me. In London he hadn't done one of my favourites, Part Time Lover, but he did do it in Birmingham which was a lovely surprise. He also sang Happy Birthday and it was my birthday so that was a real thrill! It is not a surprise that his talent in singing, playing keyboards and harmonica is as large as it is; he has been playing for so many years. But his enthusiasm for his music and the crowd was also in evidence at both concerts. His voice was strong and clear; his songs timeless. I feel honoured to have had the opportunity to see such a music legend in action and still at his funky best. Anna
A day after returning from travelling in Canada, I travelled to Birmingham (from London) on a coach to see Stevie Wonder. I was exhausted, but boy was it worth it. Perhaps only Prince can match the sheer depth and broadness of Stevie's musical ability. I've always loved his voice, but I was still struck by how good it sounded live. He has a gift of a powerful and evocative voice, but his musical genius shows through in how he uses his voice. There's so much soul in his voice that you find it stirs you deep inside. You can't help but listen. You can't help but listen to every note he plays on keyboard and piano either, because it's like nothing else you'll ever hear. Complex, ethereal chord structures that are sometimes impossible to get your head around, but work so very well. When he's playing you can tell from his body movements that what he's hearing is something above what any of us can hear. He's on another level. He's always been on another level and long may it continue. Gary
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