Wonder Lab: Learning from the Musical Art and Craft of Stevie Wonder

Undergraduate / Graduate

Stevie Wonder is one of the defining artists of the recent U.S. and the world. A celebrated and beloved musician, he is a spiritual visionary, polymath of genres, prophetic truth-teller, bard of love and loss. His vision refracts the victories, losses and contradictions of Black struggle and endeavor in America. Authenticated in this way as a Black artist, he also resonates as a global artist. Embraced by all, there seems little to say about Wonder's art, career and influence that is not self-evident. And yet, leaving appreciation of Stevie Wonder at this level allows us to revere him without recognizing his ingenious inventiveness - as artist and crafter of sound. How he brought and brings essential perspective to our experience of selves, relationships, community, power, and consciousness in all facets may be overlooked, if not lost. This class, conceived as a cultural lab, will investigate Stevie Wonder's art: his exemplification of Black music's breadth; his ambition as a sonic innovator; his commentary on social and political worlds; his insights on love, and his engagement with faith and spiritualism that summoned a global community of musicians, fans and partners. Class will involve close listening, readings, analysis of technological and sensory effects, consultation of "genius" and "collaborative" models of culture-making, and experiment in contextualizing singular imaginative achievement.