Stevie Wonder takes the keys and leads MGM Grand crowd on a wild ride

By John Katsilometes

Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014 | 2:57 p.m.

OK, hands up: Whose introduction to Stevie Wonder was on “Sesame Street”? For a specific slice of American culture, that’s where it happened, as a long time ago he sang “Superstition” on that famous boulevard of enlightenment.

This was not a sugary tune extolling the virtues of the letter M or a playful ditty about the joy of devouring cookies. This was an explosion of soul and sound just a few steps from Oscar the Grouch’s trash can.

For millions of children who were loyal to this show, this is where the concept of “funk” took hold and never let go.

On Saturday night, thousands of Wonder’s fans who had grown right along with him poured into MGM Grand Garden Arena for a revival of “Songs in the Key of Life,” the album that Wonder has said is his “celebration of song, life and love.” That double-album was released nearly 40 years ago, when Wonder was at his commercial peak, and it was indeed a blockbuster, producing such time-tested classics as “I Wish,” “Sir Duke” and “Isn’t She Lovely.”

In Saturday’s show, the 64-year-old Wonder revived that album but unleashed a lot more. The stage was strewn with singers and musicians, numbering 25 to 30 depending on the song. Among them was India.Arie, whose vocal dexterity was nearly matched by her fashion acumen. Aria was the model for frequent costume changes, adding a visual splash to the cacophony of sound.

At one point, she arrived onstage in a canary-yellow dress and Wonder called out, “She’s in yellooooow!” as if he could see what she was wearing. Arie led Wonder to the stage at the start, added her soaring voice first to “Have a Talk With God,” and, after that song, Wonder repeatedly whispered into the mic, “In the spirit of Michael Brown,” a tribute to the unarmed teenager who was killed by police Officer Darren Wilson in August in Ferguson, Mo.

Wonder’s mood ran the spectrum of emotions. He was mostly joyous, laughing and swaying and leading the audience in singalongs. Predictably, the audience — a full scope of colors and ages, as evident by Mike Tyson seated in the same section as Brad Garrett — rose and grooved to “Sir Duke” and relished the post-intermission “Isn’t She Lovely.”

Wonder called out support of President Obama, “The president who has honored me with the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” which he received last week. He joked of having his daughter Iesha onstage, as she was the inspiration for “Isn’t She Lovely,” saying, “Fellas, if you’re looking, if you ain’t got no money, say you’re blind!”

But Wonder, too, was solemn, even near tears, during and after “Summer Soft.” This was the number that brought Human Nature music director Ronnie Foster, who played that song on “Songs,” to the stage. Afterward, Wonder apologized to the crowd for becoming emotional, as he was remembering the son of a close friend who had been shot and killed. As Wonder finished that explanation, Foster was back-announced from the stage, so that moment was not lost.

The huge ensemble, with two sets of backing singers and two drummers, was directed by keyboard wizard Greg Philliganes, known in Las Vegas as the music designer for “Michael Jackson One” at Mandalay Bay. Phillinganes often led Wonder to and from his keyboard, which was set facing the audience as if the artist wanted to feel the force of response head on. He wore a cranberry-red suit that sparkled like a Christmas-tree ornament and was not entirely restricted to the keyboard or the “Songs” setlist.

Near the show’s midpoint, Wonder moved to a little-appreciated stringed instrument, a harpejii, that blends piano licks and rhythm with the sound of an acoustic guitar. He tapped out a medley with that instrument, including a roar-inducing spin through Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel.”

The musicians were dismissed for a time during the second set (yes, this three-hour show was split by an intermission) with a stripped-down rendition of “If It’s Magic,” as Wonder was accompanied by the original harp track played by jazz artist Dorothy Ashby. A player on the original “Songs” recording, Ashby died of cancer in 1986, but Wonder made sure she was represented with a cozy moment on this tour.

Near the end, as the crowd was exhausted but still crying out for more music, Wonder embraced his inner Shecky and said, “I’ll play until the wheels come off!” provided he received suitable compensation. “I’ll play all night, if the money is right!” He assumed the character DJ Tick Tick Boom (who could be a high-priced headliner at Hakkasan, no question) and performed a series of song segments not unearthed during the show. “Part-Time Lover” and “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” both big hits, were given a few seconds of time in this stretch.

For the finale, Wonder asked the massive band, which featured the return of Foster, to follow him through such classics as “Master Blaster” and “Living for the City.” He came back with the universally beloved “My Cherie Amour,” but only after playing a quick game of “Name That Tune” with the crowd, who did guess the song after just two notes.

And at the close, when it seemed Stevie Wonder had given every ounce of his genius, he dove into the song that brings the party for all time. “Superstition” closed it out, and the song that once rocked “Sesame Street” gave a burst of funk and love on the Strip.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.