Natural Wonder
{{Short description|1995 live album by Stevie Wonder}}
{{About|the Stevie Wonder album Natural Wonder|other uses|Natural Wonder (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Natural Wonder
| type = Live album
| artist = Stevie Wonder
| cover = Naturalwondersteviewonder.jpg
| alt =
| released = November 21, 1995
| recorded = March and August 1995
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = R&B
| length = 112:18
| label = Motown
| producer = Stevie Wonder
| prev_title = Conversation Peace
| prev_year = 1995
| next_title = A Time to Love
| next_year = 2005
}}
Natural Wonder is a live album by American musician Stevie Wonder, released in 1995 and recorded in Osaka, Japan and Tel Aviv, Israel.{{Cite book|last=Werner|first=Craig|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y5uyLgEfk34C&dq=Stevie+Wonder+Osaka/Tel+Aviv&pg=PT280|title=Higher Ground: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, and the Rise and Fall of American Soul|date=2007-12-18|publisher=Crown|isbn=978-0-307-42087-9|language=en}} The tour featured different symphony orchestras at some venues, conducted by touring conductor Henry Panion III.{{Cite web|title=Natural Wonder - Stevie Wonder {{!}} Credits |website= AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/natural-wonder-mw0000646165/credits|language=en|access-date=2022-02-08}} It is his fourth live album after Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius (1963), Stevie Wonder Live (1970), and Live at the Talk of the Town (also 1970), and his only one as a mature artist.
{{Music ratings
|rev1 = Allmusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}} [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r229344|pure_url=yes}} link]
|rev2 = Rolling Stone
|rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}} [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/natural-wonder-19960125 link]
}}
Content
The album comprises songs from throughout his career, spanning 1969's My Cherie Amour to 1995's Conversation Peace, in addition to the debut of three new songs – "Dancing to the Rhythm", the Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute "Stevie Ray Blues", and "Ms. & Mr. Little Ones". Wonder also performs "Stay Gold", a song he sang and co-write with composer Carmine Coppola for Coppola's score to The Outsiders (1983).
Track listing
;Disc one
- "Dancing to the Rhythm" – 7:07
- "Love's in Need of Love Today" – 6:02
- "Master Blaster (Jammin')" – 3:36
- "Stevie Ray Blues" – 2:27
- "Higher Ground" – 3:59
- "Rocket Love" – 4:47
- "Stay Gold" – 4:21
- "Ribbon in the Sky" – 8:37
- "Pastime Paradise" – 3:22
- "If It's Magic" – 3:34
- "Ms. & Mr. Little Ones" – 4:17
- "Village Ghetto Land" – 3:26
- "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing" – 4:20
;Disc two
- "Overjoyed" – 3:59
- "My Cherie Amour" – 3:20
- "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" – 2:45
- "Living for the City" – 4:26
- "Sir Duke" – 2:46
- "I Wish" – 4:06
- "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" – 2:21
- "Superstition" – 5:37
- "I Just Called to Say I Love You" – 4:38
- "For Your Love" – 5:06
- "Another Star" – 5:55
Personnel
- Stevie Wonder – vocals, keyboards, grand piano, harmonica
Band
- Herman Jackson – keyboards
- Isaiah Sanders – keyboards
- Rick Zunigar – guitars
- Nathan Watts – bass, musical director
- Gerry Brown – drums
- Munyungo Jackson – percussion
- Keith John – backing vocals
- Panzie Johnson – backing vocals
- Marva King – backing vocals
Orchestra
- Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
- Paul Riser – orchestrations and arrangements
- Dr. Henry Panion, III – conductor
- Fredrick Charley – orchestra librarian
- Steve Torok – orchestra librarian
Production
- Stevie Wonder – producer, arrangements
- Peter Edmonds – production manager
- George Packer – production manager
- Danny Leake – recording engineer, FOH engineer
- Tohru "Kiku" Kikuchi – system engineer
- Gary Adante – editing, mixing
- Robert A. Arbittier – editing, mixing
- Chris Bellman – mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, California)
- Brian O'Neal – liner notes
- Jackie Salway – art direction, design
- James Minchin III – photography
- David Safian – photography
- Eddie Wolfl – photography