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Hi Derek, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?
I’m doing well. I’m very excited to be doing so many shows with the WONDER of STEVIE in 2026.
So your upcoming big show honours Stevie Wonder’s brilliance throughout his career. What made you want to put on a full-scale live show based on his music?
The inspiration came from working with our amazing Vocalist Noel McCalla, I’d always wanted to work with him since his early days with Morrissey Mullen in London. Here then worked around Europe with Manfred Mann’s Earth Band for nearly 20 years, and only when he returned did we end up on a show together. We only did one Stevie Wonder tune that night but he was so superb in his interpretation that I phoned him up the next day with the idea of doing a whole show of Stevie Wonder music. It took some time to persuade him as he saw Stevie as a genius and of course still with us, almost that the material was sacred ground but now the audience response is so good we know we’re doing a good job .
Stevie’s music includes funk, soul, jazz, and pop songs like “I Wish,” “Superstition,” “My Cherie Amour,” and “Ribbon in the Sky.” How do you pay tribute to the original arrangements while still making the performance your own?
We always start out with the original version, but we in no way intend to copy it note for note. We do not see ourselves as a tribute band, nobody dresses up and wears sunglasses, we see ourselves as a celebration of this amazing music.
The ideas for adapting the performances come from Stevie himself who over the years has changed many of the arrangements of his own songs, for example adding New York Salsa to the end of “Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing”
So by incorporating the way Stevie has changed himself over the years has been inspirational to our own live set. Also, we’re all accomplished Jazz Musicians so we all take our own solos never copying the originals from the Records.
People think that albums like Talking Book, Innervisions, Songs in the Key of Life, and Hotter than July are great works of art. As musicians, is there a certain time in Stevie’s career that speaks to you the most?
For me songs in the Key of life is when I first really discovered Stevie, but I have been going in both directions exploring all the material before and after , there is some fantastic stuff on more contemporary albums, for example “For your love” from Conversation Peace, so in our set we always try and play a couple of lesser known Stevie tunes so that people can be inspired to carry on their own journey through his amazing music.
Since 2004, you have been a member of Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. How has that experience changed the way you lead this six-piece band?
Just seeing the way that Jools talks to an audience, and also his Television presentation styles have helped me to really make the introductions to songs succinct, and interesting.
I’ve experienced the kind of musical contour of a set to make it really exciting for an audience, that all comes from seeing the way the audience responds to Jools Holland shows.
You’ve played with Gregory Porter, Chaka Khan, Eric Clapton, and Amy Winehouse on stage and in the studio. What do you learn from those collaborations that you can use in this Stevie Wonder celebration?
Every time you work with these gifted performers you realise their ability to produce amazing performances night after night is what singles them out.
I felt working with Noel McCalla that I’d finally found a singer that could also produce amazing performances, and every single show is still unique, but never anything other than excellent.
The musicians in the rhythm section have played with famous people like Bill Withers, The Bee Gees, and Gary Moore. How does that level of experience make this project more exciting to see live?
I have such trust in the Band, and respect them adapting our arrangements and making suggestions and improvements to the show. They love the music of Stevie Wonder as much as I do, so everything is done to make the project as rewarding as possible.
The ridiculous wealth of experience from the Musicians gathered on stage means that performances have a real atmosphere and attitude that you only get with the best Musicians
Stevie Wonder’s songs often mix happy grooves with deep social commentary. How do you show both the happy and the sad sides of his music in one performance?
We explained to the audience that Stevie has a social conscience, and it shouldn’t be ignored. Hence we play tunes like “You haven’t done nothing “ which was originally on Fullfillingnes First Finale in the 70’s, yet they still seem very relevant today in their political and social commentary.
Also playing tunes like “Lately”, show that not all Stevie‘s ballads our love songs, but the audience still adore them and respect his lyrics.
Saying that I decided not to play that tune on Valentine’s Day this year!
Saxophone is a very important part of bringing Stevie’s melodies and harmonies to life. Derek, how do you change those famous lines while keeping the emotional core the same?
I will always try and faithfully replicate the original lines from such songs as Sir Duke and Master blaster, but my solos are always my own, and I can add fills and respond to Noel’s vocals live so every show is unique.
What surprises can long-time Stevie fans expect at the show?
On the bigger shows, we expand the lineup with extra backing vocals and a brass section so we can replicate Stevie‘s touring lineup, and it’s a fantastic huge Band.
We are also performing some songs that Stevie wrote but never actually recorded himself, which is often an unexpected pleasure from long time Stevie fans , or they may not even realise that he wrote them.
Are there less well-known songs mixed in with the big hits?
Very much so, we’ve been exploring some stuff from the 70s and some stuff from the 90s, also some of the ballads from later albums are amazing. And it’s a joy to introduce people to them .
After playing this music every night, what new respect do you have for Stevie Wonder’s art and lasting cultural impact?
I think any great composition can be performed in many different styles, and this works with much of Stevie‘s Music.
I also feel we are introducing his music to a whole new generation of listeners, Stevie‘s Music has been around for so long that everybody has an era that they adore, it’s very gratifying to speak to the audience after the show, and everybody has a different favourite Stevie Wonder moment, that’s what makes him so special.
He has touched so many lives and has been the soundtrack of their lives for so many years, it’s almost impossible to imagine his music not always being around.
Also you discover that some people’s beloved Stevie tune is quite a rare and unexpected choice !
He has become the soundtrack to so many people’s lives.
We’ve been doing the show for nearly 9 years now , but I’m in no way bored with the material . It’s still just such a joy to play.
See all ‘The Wonder Of Stevie’ tour dates and get tickets here:
https://www.thewonderofstevie.com/events/tour-dates/0/1
