Stevie Wonder's first U.S. tour this millennium is bound to disappoint. That's because the R&B legend has enjoyed so many hits and has so much beloved material, it's impossible to fit it all into a single evening. Nevertheless, those left wishing Wonder had dusted off classics like "Knocks Me off My Feet" or "That Girl" should come to terms with the compromises. The chance to hear soul's greatest living statesman in person makes up for a lot. And the presence of all-time Wonder faves like "Love's in Need of Love Today," "Ribbon in the Sky," "I Wish," "Superstition," and "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" — all staples of current set lists — should further ease the minds and ears of the devoted.
There probably won't be time for much of Wonder's 2005 comeback effort, A Time 2 Love, amid his catalog of tunes that span five decades. But it really shouldn't be obscured by the hit parade. After spending the better part of 10 years in relative purgatory (and the 10 years before that releasing only a pair of so-so CDs and a decent Spike Lee soundtrack), Wonder re-emerged with an album that offered a double rarity: a seamless integration of a gold-plated guest list (including Paul McCartney, Prince, and Wonder's daughter, Aisha Morris, who provided the baby gurgles on "Isn't She Lovely") and a collection of new songs that effortlessly recalled his considerable past. As vital as anything recently recorded by Wonder's rock peers, A Time 2 Love proved he's still capable of unveiling wonders, even with nothing left to prove.
