Stevie Wonder: The Definitive Collection

iTunes Review

How to summarize a career with the scope of Stevie Wonder’s? His output is so deep and so consistent that it is impossible to cover all the bases within the confines of one compact disc. What is provided by The Definitive Collection over the course of its 21 tracks is a sense of Wonder’s restless, carefree creativity, and his determination to push forward the song forms of soul music. It begins with “Fingertips, Pt. 2 (Live)”— an instrumental workout so intense that it still exudes sweat more than 40 years after its birth — and continues through the fragile crooning of “My Cherie Amour,” the tough riffs of “Living for the City” and “Higher Ground,” the ebullient funk of “I Wish” and “Superstition,” and the blissful melodies of “I Just Called To Say I Love You.” As late as 1982’s “Master Blaster (Jammin’),” a luminous venture into Jamaican rhythms, Wonder was still staking new ground. Perhaps even more impressive than each individual song is the overarching joy that emanates from this collection. There are other artists who were as good for as long, but no one can rival Stevie Wonder for overflowing inspiration and unbridled happiness.