[.ca] Stevie Wonder - Classic Albums: Songs In The Key of Life (ISBN 6305320616)

From Amazon.com:
The making of Stevie Wonder's 1976 double-album masterpiece Songs in the Key of Life--still his linchpin work--is entertainingly recounted in this Classic Albums documentary on the 20th anniversary of its release. Interviews with Wonder and the musicians and technicians involved revisit many now-classic songs like "I Wish," "Sir Duke," and "Isn't She Lovely" (which includes a vocal appearance by Wonder's then-infant daughter, Aisha, who two decades later discusses her contribution). The record's lasting influence is brought up by producer Quincy Jones, keyboardist Herbie Hancock, and the rapper Coolio, who had a smash hit in 1995 with "Gangsta's Paradise," a reworking of Wonder's "Pastime Paradise." Reuniting with the musicians, Wonder runs through some of these classic tunes, one of several highlights. --Kevin Filipski

could of included more music from stevie!:
shame about this dvd... NOT GOOD SELLING DISCS...shame its content has more talking... than music... but the two songs on the disc are gems...!!

This IS Magic!:
Okay-this is it!!!Stevie takes you into his studio as she takes you and his old band on a journey through the piecing together of tunes such as "I Wish","Black Man" and "Pastime Paradise".Listen to the alum and then whatch this-it will amaze you!

That's right, folks, it's a documentary...:
...and a fine one, at that. Some previous reviewers seem to have been confused about what they were buying, expecting straightforward presentations of the songs from this landmark album, then being disappointed when there were none. This is, simply, a re-packaged television show ABOUT the album, part of an excellent series from the UK called Classic Albums. As such, it's extremely well done, with lots of commentary from Steve himself, along with nearly everyone else involved in the production of the album. There are actually a couple of in-the-studio performances by the re-assembled band from the original sessions, and they're great fun, but this is NOT a concert album. It's a fascinating companion to the music, but it's certainly not intended to be a substitute for buying the CD if you don't already own it. If you do already own and love the CD, and have any interest at all in how such remarkable works of art come into being, then buy this DVD right away.

I expected more:
As a big fan of the album, and Stevie in general, I decided to try this disc out as the litmus test for the series. I figured I'd get a hoard of features, along with great music and loads of insight. The insight is there in abundance, and it's a lot of fun to hear the comments of past and present on the album, from concept through release. It's nice to see all the amazing musicians that were on the album come together for the documentary... but that's where it stops. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad product, if you want a straight-up documentary, but I wanted more. I wanted all the music on the album, and I wanted some kind of features, but they weren't there. Perhaps it's too much to ask to have this act as an album as well, but if you're looking for the music, you won't get more than a snippet or two of each song. In general, I buy DVDs that I know I'll watch over and over, and this unfortunately isn't one of them. It's a nice first view, but now it's going to sit on my shelf. My recommendation: rent it, and buy the CD!

Great Overview:
This was really informative and interesting. The only problem I really had with it was the fact that Stevie didn't speak as much as I would have liked. I am more than a little intrigued by him and would have enjoyed listening to him talk about his ideas and views on the issues he expressed in the songs more. I was aware of his sense of humor which was touched on a bit throughout the film. He's an interesting character and I really was expecting a bit more from him actually (Berry Gordy and Quincy Jones' comments minimalized would have been great). They didn't cover all the songs which would I was surprised about. A couple of my favorites, Joy inside my Tears and All Day Sucka were not mentioned AT ALL and these are not classics, as singles, but worthwhile to talk about, I thought. Anyway, if one is a fan of Stevie, a true fan, and owns the album, having this documentary is a must.