Stevie Wonder Joins All-Star Cast for ‘Perfect Angel: The Definitive Minnie Riperton Tribute’

Before talented singers-songwriters specified arsenic Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, SZA and Lalah Hathaway were murmurs successful anyone’s ears, determination was Minnie Riperton.

Graced with an bonzer five-and-a-half-octave vocal range, including the whistle registry — the highest for a quality dependable — the Chicago autochthonal and her philharmonic bequest are the absorption of a peculiar tribute taking spot astatine Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl connected Wednesday evening (Sept. 24) that present boasts the just-announced summation of Stevie Wonder.

“Perfect Angel: The Definitive Minnie Riperton Tribute” salutes the 50th day of Riperton’s same-titled 1974 major-label medium debut arsenic good arsenic encompass the expansive, multi-genre scope of a colorful vocation tragically chopped abbreviated erstwhile she died of bosom crab astatine property 31 successful 1979. Aside from Wonder, the performers  reimagining memorable songs from her deep-rooted repertoire of soul, pop, stone and points successful betwixt — including her iconic Hot 100 No. 1 “Lovin’ You,” which spotlights her mesmerizing whistle code — volition beryllium Wonder (just announced Tuesday), George Benson, Chanté Moore, Alex Isley, Aloe Blacc, säje and Lizz Wright, among different astonishment guests.

“The artists I’ve assembled for Minnie’s tribute correspond a hybrid of artistry that speaks to the diverseness of who her euphony touched,” says tribute shaper Robin Burgess. “They’re a troupe of her admirers, collaborators and enthusiasts similar myself who presumption her endowment arsenic a champion of aggregate genres. From a cappella groups to chanteuses arsenic good arsenic instrumentalists from folk, jazz and R&B, I tried to assemble an ensemble that would travel to Minnie’s euphony offering honorable reflections arsenic good arsenic immoderate astonishment interpretations laced successful between.” Burgess besides notes the performances volition beryllium interwoven with stunning images of Riperton created by sculptor and immersive creator Andrew F. Scott.

Proof of Riperton’s enduring entreaty and power 50 years aboriginal tin beryllium heard connected covers of Perfect Angel’s gold-certified azygous “Lovin’ You” done by Grande, SZA, Shanice and Chloe. Her enactment has besides been sampled by hip-hop acts specified arsenic The Roots, Q-Tip and Arrested Development. Additional Riperton stand-outs from her catalog of six workplace albums see “Inside My Love,” “Memory Lane,” “Lover and Friend” and “Here We Go.” Prior to releasing her archetypal solo album, 1970’s Come to My Garden, Riperton sang successful miss radical The Gems, worked with Chess Records doing backing vocals for  the likes of Etta James, Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters and past became pb vocalist for psychedelic-soul set Rotary Connection. From there, Riperton signed with Epic Records and released 1974’s gold-certified Perfect Angel.

Wonder, an aboriginal co-signer of Riperton’s talent, co-produced Perfect Angel (under the pseudonym El Toro Negro) and penned the rubric track. And Riperton would aboriginal sing inheritance connected 2 classical Wonder albums: Fulfillingness’ First Finale (“Creepin’,” “It Ain’t No Use”) and Songs successful the Key of Life (“Ordinary Pain”).

“Minnie was my beloved friend,” said Wonder successful an earlier announcement astir the Hollywood Bowl tribute. “She was an extraordinary, vibrant idiosyncratic with an extra-special voice.  I was a large instrumentality of hers b...