Today is Stevie Wonder’s birthday. The international pop star and keyboard extraordinaire was born on this day (May 13) in Saginaw, Michigan, in 1950. He turns 69 years old. While it might be tempting to celebrate with Wonder’s endlessly enjoyable take on “Happy Birthday,” we’re choosing to honor his jazz side with “Contusion,” an all-instrumental cut from his immortal 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life. It’s quite possibly his most musically complex tune of all time, a straight-up fusion burner that rivals the likes of Weather Report, Return to Forever, King Crimson, Soft Machine and other titans of the genre. Of course, Stevie was always on old jazz soul. Happy Birthday, Stevie. Keep the hits coming.
