ISN’T HE LOVELY – THE MUSIC OF STEVIE WONDER
Stevie Wonder, who signed his first contract with Motown Records at 11 years old, gained a lifelong fan the following year when they both turned 12. That fan, who went on to make his own music through the intervening years is Tony Nolasco.
Tony credits Wonder’s singing with his own passion (in his words, “I was smitten!” ) He began singing in the shower and ‘banging on the drums’.
In his mid-teens Tony moved down to Yorkville Village and there his musical journey began as drummer for the hugely successful homegrown blues band, McKenna Mendelson Mainline who shared the bill with such stars as Jimi Hendrix, Rod Stewart, Jeff Beck and John Lee Hooker.
During those heady days in Yorkville Tony formed a close friendship with ‘a colourful fellow’ – James Ambrose Johnson – better known as Rick James. Tony developed the path for Mr. James that would lead him to Motown and on to global success. The two musicians embarked on a project, The Mary Jane Girls, several years later that eventually became an international hit.
Through all the years from when Tony first heard, and became a fan of Stevie Wonder his admiration never faltered and eventually manifested in meeting him and then spending time together in Los Angeles.
Coming to the present day, after attending a gospel workshop at York University in Toronto, and singing as a guest at a gospel church locally the drums are now retired and Tony Nolasco picked up the microphone – he knows he’ll never put it down again.
Taking inspiration from some words from Luther Vandross to Tony years ago “It’s all about the tone” In other words someone can have great vocal power, maybe a 4 or 5 octave range but if that doesn’t translate to an attractive tone then listening to them sing isn’t appealing. Terrific advice from a master, that Tony took to heart. Fact is Tony Nolasco realized that he does have the tone.
Complete with a nine-piece group of world class musicians you will experience an unforgettable concert in an intimate setting – Tony Nolasco pays the ultimate tribute to the man whose voice inspired him to step out from behind the drums and use his gift of tone.
