No artist has achieved greater success in Motown’s distinguished history than Stevie Wonder. Arriving at the label as a child prodigy, Stevie has gone on to have a career of almost unparalleled success, reshaping the conventions of R&B and influencing countless artists. He achieved the bulk of his success in the 70s and 80s, becoming a globally renowned artist and providing Motown with a string of hits. He was instrumental in dragging Motown into the album era with his ability to create cohesive and consistent records. He is the only artist to have won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year with three consecutive releases, with a whopping 25 Grammys under his belt. His career goes beyond his music; he has always been an outspoken political and civil rights activist, receiving a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014.
Born as Steveland Morris in Michigan on 13th May 1950, he quickly developed retrolental fibroplasia after complications due to his premature birth, rendering him blind. When he was three, Stevie’s family moved to Detroit, where Stevie had a largely happy childhood, engaging in the same activities as children his age, despite his condition. However, Stevie’s childhood did present some challenges, with his mother and father divorcing when he was just four, leading to some hardship as his mother, Lula, brought him and his brothers up on her own for a period.
Musically, Stevie started showcasing his talents from a young age. Initially, he showed proficiency for percussion, making a racket as he would bang pots and pans around the house. Stevie’s enthusiasm led to him receiving a small drum kit one Christmas, which was promptly in tatters by Boxing Day! But Stevie’s musical talents quickly widened, and he became adept at learning any instrument he could lay his hands on, particularly the piano and the harmonica. Stevie’s love for music was driven by listening to Detroit’s various radio stations, and he developed a strong affinity for the music of B.B. King.
Stevie’s musical career started with makeshift performances on the doorstep of his house with his friend and neighbour, John Glover. The two would often gather quite a crowd as word spread of their musical prowess, but Stevie soon got a greater opportunity. Glover was cousins with Ronnie White of the Miracles and managed to wrangle him and Stevie a performance at White’s house, where fellow Miracles member Bobby Rogers was present. Stevie sang and played the harmonica and piano, with Glover accompanying him on acoustic guitar, playing a mixture of contemporary hits and their own compositions. Stevie even had the cheek to tell the duo how the Miracles could improve their own music! Suitably impressed by his talent and gall, White arranged for them to have a formal audition at Motown on the 23rd of September 1961.
The pair initially performed in front of Brian Holland and Micky Stevenson, who were promptly blown away, and immediately got on the phone with the head of the label, Berry Gordy. Gordy was equally impressed, with the pair initially signed as a duo, but Glover ended up working in Hitsville studios as a producer and writer. Despite being only eleven, Gordy informed Stevie that he would have to pay his way like any other artist. His tender age led many of Motown’s artists and producers to take him under their wing, with the Funk Brother’s drummer Benny Benjamin helping him hone his craft. Stevie’s first producer was Clarence Paul, who became like a father figure to him, guiding him through his initial years. Stevie proved a bit of a prankster around Hitsville studios, but most people were blown away by the depths of his talent, leading to his new stage name, Stevie Wonder, being born.
The first hurdle for Motown was deciding how to harness and market his prodigious talent. While being blown away by Wonder’s musical ability, Gordy initially felt his voice needed to be stronger for Motown’s traditional blend of soul and pop. Gordy believed jazz would best express Wonder’s talents, which Paul didn’t necessarily agree with. However, Paul talked Gordy into producing an album of jazz compositions rather than just a single, hence Stevie’s debut release, The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie, released in September 1962. The album wasn’t preceded by any singles, a rarity for Motown, whose artists usually had to earn their commercial corn through their singles. The album was primarily composed and produced by Wonder’s mentors, Clarence Paul and Henry Cosby, though Wonder co-wrote two compositions.
The album starts with ‘Fingertips’, with Stevie featuring on the bongos and Marvin Gaye playing on the drums. The song would become Stevie’s first major hit when a live version of the track was released in 1963, becoming Motown’s second number-one pop hit after the Marvelettes’ Please Mr. Postman. Stevie’s prowess on the bongos is evident in the song’s introduction, but he becomes a periphery figure for the rest of the song. It’s a tight instrumental piece which rattles along, the reedy sound of the flute contrasting with the blast of noise provided by the horn section. ‘The Square’ sees Stevie jamming out on the harmonica, impressively slotting into the composition and showing his considerable talent. ‘Soul Bongo’, co-produced by Gaye, sees Stevie back on the bongos; it’s a short sharp number that doesn’t really flow, though Stevie brings some nice attack on a couple of solos.
‘Manhattan at Six’ is one of the album’s highlights, a bouncing, shuffling piece of bolero-like Jazz, Stevie creating a nice element of chaos on the drums. It’s a little ramshackle, but the track has a brilliant, vibrant energy and provides a much-welcome improvised feel compared to the rest of the album’s polished compositions. ‘Paulsby’ is another tight little number, perhaps played at slightly too high a tempo; the whole track whizzes by in a bit of a blur, Stevie’s harmonica getting lost amongst the noise. ‘Some Other Time’ is a much more languid affair; the romantic sound from Stevie’s harmonica makes you feel like you’re floating down a canal in Venice. It’s impressive how Stevie manages to imitate the sound of a string orchestra through his harmonica, and it’s a shame the middle of the track becomes a confused muddle.
‘Wondering’ sees Stevie playing the organ, providing some bluesy energy. Again, Stevie is allowed to stretch his wings with a couple of solos, a testament to Paul and Cosby’s faith and production skills. ‘Session Number 112’ sees Stevie turning his hand to the piano on a slower, moodier number. While the brass section somewhat overpowers his piano playing, his harmonica playing carries the song from the midsection. ‘Bam’ is the only Berry Gordy composition on the album and is considerably looser, encapsulating the sound of a live band; the scatty piano lines occasionally drown out Stevie’s harmonica.
The album demonstrates Stevie’s considerable talents as a musician, with his harmonica playing particularly impressive. The record represented a gamble for the label, they had never released anything purely instrumental before, and unsurprisingly it failed to land any commercial punches. The album features some vibrant, upbeat compositions, perhaps at times caught a little between jazz and funk, resulting in a muddled sound at points. But Stevie’s debut effort is stronger than some of his Motown compatriots, the lack of a single making it less filler-orientated. The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie provided a glimpse into Stevie’s precocious talents, even if Motown didn’t quite know how to channel them.