色情视频

Updated Aug. 14, 2024

In music theory, 色情视频 lecturer Gary Recker says, the word 鈥渢ranscendence鈥� is often used to refer to an experience 鈥渨here music just lifts us up and out of ourselves to this kind of higher experience鈥�something that doesn't occur naturally.鈥�

And to Recker, few figures embody this accomplishment better than Stevie Wonder, the singer-songwriter and winner of 25 Grammys who has been performing for more than 60 years, and is the focus of a new 色情视频 class for fall 2024 (MUS 351: Music and Culture). 

鈥淗e has created a huge catalog of moments that do that,鈥� said Recker, who received a master鈥檚 degree in musicology with a thesis on Stevie Wonder鈥檚 use of keyboards. Recker, who began teaching at 色情视频 after retiring from a career in the world of finance, developed the course idea.

Stevie Wonder 鈥渋s masterful at conveying emotion through his music, at being very creative and inspired in his music,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a gem that I just hope most people have a chance to experience on a slightly deeper level than they might otherwise.鈥�

In a recording career that began at age 11, Stevie Wonder鈥檚 greatest hits include 鈥淵ou are the Sunshine of My Life,鈥� 鈥淚 Was Made to Love Her,鈥� and 鈥淔or Once in My Life.鈥� 

It was 鈥淪uperstition鈥� (鈥淰ery superstitious, writing鈥檚 on the wall鈥�), a track from the 1972 album 鈥淭alking Book,鈥� that hooked Recker, growing up in San Diego鈥檚 Valencia Park neighborhood. Recker would raid his older brother鈥檚 supply of vinyl, 鈥渁nd I wore that album out,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat was where it started for me.鈥�

Today Recker regards Stevie Wonder as a 鈥済enius鈥� composer who creates 鈥渉armonies to go under the music that鈥檚 unusual but pleasant. He finds a way to pull you in a song that鈥檚 got incredible depth of musical creativity in it.鈥�

His voice, especially on ballads, is 鈥渃rystal clean and very persuasive,鈥� and 鈥渁s an instrumentalist he鈥檚 incredible.鈥� On 鈥淪uperstition,鈥� Stevie Wonder played every instrument except the horns, all self-taught. 

鈥淗e鈥檚 able to take incredibly complicated ideas and make them sound good,鈥� said Recker. 鈥淗e loves music, and music loves him.鈥�

The class, scheduled to meet at 11 a.m. Monday and Wednesdays, is meant to explore not just the music of Stevie Wonder but the social, cultural and historical context in which it occurred. The class requires a minimum enrollment that hasn鈥檛 quite been achieved yet; Recker is hoping publicity through social media 鈥� and this article 鈥� will help fill the room. (Update: The minimum enrollment requirement has been achieved and the class will meet for the first time Aug. 26.)

Nate Bomar, a computer science major, is among those already signed up and 鈥渟uper pumped鈥� for the class.

鈥淚'm just a really big appreciator of music in general,鈥� Bomar wrote in response to an email request for a comment. 鈥淪tevie Wonder is just an absolute legend. 鈥楽ongs in the Key of Life鈥� is one of the best albums I have ever listened to, and I'm just hoping to learn about the life and skill of the artist that made that album and so much more.鈥�

For Catherine Curley, a journalism major, the class looked like a chance to have some fun with an area of education that already interested her. 鈥淪tevie Wonder expresses so much joy for life in his music,鈥� she wrote.

鈥淚 like the idea of learning about the music in the context of its culture and vice versa,鈥� Curley added. 鈥淚 hope to be able to connect those dots better with a college-grade education on one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.鈥�   

The cultural context Recker speaks of is something he believes Stevie Wonder helped shape. He was among the most driving figures behind the creation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, first observed in 1986.

鈥淢y hope is that people who are vaguely aware that he鈥檚 done some fun stuff are curious enough to take a look, with some depth, into this class,鈥� Recker said. Even those whose tastes run more to Taylor Swift or Beyonc茅 may find that studying Stevie Wonder 鈥渂roadens their appreciation of whatever music it is that they鈥檙e listening to.鈥�