This is a wonderful Stevie Wonder tune called I Wish. Stevie is probably my all-time favorite writer, keyboard player and especially singer.

Some people categorize me as a roots player. Others think of me as a technology geek. I do like using the buttons on my keyboards. In fact, I use the transpose button in this video. I make no lame excuses for not wanting to play the song in it’s original key. What I bring to this song, comes out best when I’m playing the song in Cm, with the button on. Most people who do this song, use the original key, which is Ebm. Too many black keys for me, so you can see me fiddling with the transpose button at 7 sec. (Hopefully, I won’t embarrass anyone by forgetting I have that button engaged, when it’s time to start the next song.)

The singers are telling me that the key of the song is going to be E. We have 2 horn players in this band, this song isn’t charted and it’s a big horn tune. I know the guys have played it lots before, but I don’t know if they’ve ever played it in Em. And one thing I’ve learned, is to give people what they expect, when I’m on a stage.

I use a few different clavinet sounds this nite, trying to get just the right feel for the moment. Shoulda stuck with the first sound… And I use a brassy synth with wurly for the choruses.

Ooh, I am so funky.

Steve