A Time To Love - Press Release
The Rugged Elegance
"Wonder"ful Motown Music Coming October 18th"A Time To Love" by Stevie Wonder
Jennifer Carolyn King
Thursday October 13
Next Tuesday, October 18th 2005, Stevie Wonder will release his first new collection of Motown R&B Soul music in ten years.
The album was released electronically on September 27, 2005, exclusively on Apple's iTunes Music Store.
His last studio album "Conversation Peace" was released in 1995.
The name of Stevie's new 15-track album, which was recorded at his Wonderland Studios? "A Time To Love."
Or as my seven year-old said, "Mommy, can we get Stevie Wonder's new cd, 'A Clock 2 Heart?'"
Wonder called his latest soulful sounds an ongoing project that he started ten years ago.
The American singer, songwriter, producer, musician, humanitarian and social activist said:
It's something that has come from life experiences.
-The joy.
-The pains.
-The moments of sorrow.
-The moments of happiness...
This CD takes on all forms of love:
~physical love
~unrequited love
~family affection
~the way people treat strangers on the street
~the love he had for his first wife, Syreeta Wright, and his brother, Larry Hardaway, who both died within the last two years.
Wonder said, "Ever since Songs In The Key Of Life I feel it's been a blessing from God in giving me the titles, but ultimately, all songs must stand on their own. I've always written about love, but the ones that spoke to me the loudest are the ones you'll find on A Time To Love."
Wonder's musical inspirations included: - Dr. Dre - The late, great Luther Vandross - Rodgers and Hart - Lauryn Hill
A few of the talented artists who contributed to Wonder's new album are:
- Paul McCartney;
- Prince;
- Bonnie Raitt;
- Kim Burrell on the opening track, "If Your Love Cannot Be Moved", an inspiring and timely anthem featuring gospel legend Kirk Franklin;
- and India.Arie, with whom he co-wrote and sang the title song.
In addition, one of Stevie's seven children, Aisha Morris, does a duet with her fifty-five year-old dad. It is called "How Will I Know."
In April, Stevie and Yolanda Simmon's baby turned thirty.
The last time Aisha contributed her voice to a Stevie Wonder album, she was an infant.
The song first inspired by Stevie's daughter was called "Isn't She Lovely."
Wonder's new track titles include:
1. If Your Love Cannot Be Moved
2. Sweetest Somebody I Know
3. Moon Blue
4. From the Bottom of My Heart
5. Please Don't Hurt My Baby
6. How Will I Know
7. My Love Is On Fire
8. Passionate Raindrops
9. Tell Your Heart I Love You
10. True Love
11. Shelter In the Rain
12. So What The Fuss
13. Can't Imagine Love Without You
14. Positivity
15. A Time To Love
The first single and video released f
rom the album was 'What the Fuss'! "Shelter In The Rain" will benefit The Wonder Foundation for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
Sylvia Rhone, President and Executive Vice President of Universal Motown Records, praised Wonder's wonderful new work. She said:
Stevie always has impeccable timing.
The world is hungering more than ever right now for the kind of message only he can deliver.
I speak for the entire Universal Music Group when I say nobody can illuminate our greatest hopes, soothe our deepest fears, and put us on the musical high road like Stevie Wonder.
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.
One fan writes:
Stevie Wonder fans from around the world have to be pleased with the pop icon's latest effort "A Time To Love". Ten years since his last release, the new album feels like "Classic Stevie"; his unique melodic structures, harmonies, chord arrangements and progressions are prevalant. Combining all of that with the statements he is making about the world, about love, about loss and about joy make this not only a must have for Stevie fans, but the one they've been waiting for since "Hotter Than July".
There is a definite return to form on the production side as well.
For the first time since the advent of computer sequencing, Stevie artfully blends the new technology with studio musicians using textures reminiscent of his amazing body of work of the seventies.
It is a masterful blend of the old and the new by the master himself.
Wonder, who plays the piano, keyboard, harmonica, drums, guitar, synthesizers and congas, takes his latest compilation of sounds to a level that might make the blind see. For those blessed to hear his music for over four decades and able to see this legendary artist perform, once again expect all of your senses to be tapped with "A Time 2 Love".
Wonder says, "There's been a time for war, a time for strife, a time set aside for everything under the sun. We must now set aside a time for love."
One of the ways the winner of 21 GRAMMYS and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, who has sold over seventy million albums since he was signed to Motown at the age of ten, expresses his love is by giving to those less fortunate than himself.
In fact, like his music, the Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Famer has mastered the art of giving back.
Stevie Wonder is a leading voice in the fight against world hunger.
In conjunction with American Express, he has led a "Charge Against Hunger," which raised over $150 million dollars to feed nearly six million underprivileged people yearly.
Recently, Wonder was honored by the United Negro College Fund's Evening Of Stars Tribute to the artist, for his longtime work on behalf of the UNCF.
Inspire & Be Inspired.
Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful, "Isn't He Lovely?" living.