Conversation Peace

''Conversation Peace'' is the twenty-second album released by American musician Stevie Wonder, on the Motown label in 1995. The album was Wonder's first full-length non-soundtrack studio album since 1987's '' Characters''. This album yielded the hits " For Your Love" (a Grammy winner for Wonder for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance) and the reggae-flavored "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing". This album also saw Wonder reuniting with Robert Margouleff, who assisted during Wonder's "classic period" from 1972 to 1974.

Wonder wrote about 40 songs in 1993 after being invited to stay for six weeks in Ghana by President Jerry John Rawlings. A number of these songs were eventually shaped into album form. Motown announced in August 1993 that ''Conversation Peace'' would be released later that year; however, Wonder continued to work on the album through 1994 until its release in March 1995, when ''Vibe'' magazine reported that the album had been in development "off and on for at least the past four" years.
A circulating outtake from these sessions, "Ms and Mr Little Ones", was later released on '' Natural Wonder'' (1995).

Reception

Critics felt that the album was a return to Wonder's classic period of the 1970s. John Milward in a 1995 review in ''Rolling Stone'' gave it four stars and felt that while the album is "reminiscent" of Wonder's classic albums, its "lean execution" gives it a "modern sound". While the quality of the work was appreciated, Greg Kot of the ''Chicago Tribune'' and Jean Rosenbluth of the ''Los Angeles Times'' felt that the style was a bit too familiar and well-worn to be interesting, though Robert Christgau of ''The Village Voice'' gave it an "A−" and remarked that while listeners may have "heard all this before, that doesn't mean it's worn out its welcome." Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave it two-and-a-half stars in a retrospective review for AllMusic and felt the music was not contemporary enough to get radio play.

Commercial performance

''Conversation Peace'' debuted at number 17 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, selling 53,000 copies in its first week. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on June 14, 1995.

As of October 2005, the album had sales 361,000 copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Stevie Wonder, except where noted.
# "Rain Your Love Down" – 6:08
# "Edge of Eternity" – 6:04
# "Taboo to Love" – 4:25
# "Take the Time Out" – 5:05
# "I'm New" – 5:41
# "My Love Is with You" – 5:54
# "Treat Myself" (Wonder, Stephanie Andrews) – 4:55
# "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing" (Wonder, Edley Shine) – 4:46
# "Sensuous Whisper" – 5:47
# " For Your Love" – 5:00
# "Cold Chill" – 6:53
# "Sorry" – 6:15
# "Conversation Peace" – 6:39

Personnel

Personnel involved in the album include:
* Stevie Wonder – Guitar, arranger, keyboards, vocals, background vocals, multi-instruments, mixing
* Anita Baker – Background vocals
* Ollie Brown – Conductor
* Lenny Castro – Percussion
* Ernie Fields, Jr. – Tenor saxophone
* Nolan Shaheed – Trumpet
* Ray Brown – Trumpet
* Fernando Pullum – Trumpet
* Jorge Arciniega – Trumpet
* Fred Wesley – Trombone
* Reggie Young – Trombone
* Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Background vocals
* Robert Margouleff – Mixing
* Branford Marsalis – Soprano Saxophone
* Greg Phillinganes – Keyboards
* Melvin "Wah Wah" Ragin – Guitar
* Ben Bridges – Guitar solo on "Cold Chill"
* Nathan Watts – Bass, background vocals, associate producer
* Deniece Williams – Background vocals
* The Winans – Background vocals
* Syreeta Wright – Background vocals
* Take 6 – Background vocals
* The Artist Formerly Known As Prince – credited
* Vinx – guest artist

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

External links

Stevie Wonder interview
by Pete Lewis, ''Blues & Soul'', March 1995

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Stevie Wonder albums
1995 albums
Albums produced by Stevie Wonder
Motown albums
New jack swing albums