Pop : Wonder Charms Despite Flaws

It’s a testament to the good will that Stevie Wonder has built up among his audience that he was not only able to survive his glitch-plagued early show on Saturday at the Crossroads Theatre--the first of two benefits that night for an ailing friend--but to go out on a characteristic wave of Wonder-struck hosannas.

Other artists with a lower reserve stock of fan appreciation might have had a harder time keeping up the morale at such a rambling, difficulty-laden comedy of errors. Not Stevie. Or Steeeevieeeee! , as the howls of support tended to go.

At the two shows--benefits for artist Margaret Darbarpar, in need of a costly, life-saving bone marrow transplant--Wonder, who hasn’t toured in ages and rarely performs live, was to perform a few of his greatest hits solo, and unveil material from his long-awaited next album, tentatively titled “Conversation Piece.” And this he eventually did, with grace under great pressure.

First came the initial two-hour delay due, an announcer stated, to “a technical problem with the computer--it really wasn’t Stevie.” The truth of this statement became apparent as Wonder then tried to play his synthesizer and got no sound--a problem that remained through the 70-minute set, despite a steady stream of technicians trying in vain to correct the problem.

Luckily, Wonder also had a piano, which was in working order, and a phalanx of backing tapes. In relying as much as he did on the latter, he seemed to miss an opportunity: Who wouldn’t have loved the chance to hear a spontaneous, all-acoustic performance, sans band or tracks, from the great Stevie Wonder?

Still, even the taped numbers Wonder merely sang lead on--like “Jungle Fever,” his deliciously pro-interracial romance theme to Spike Lee’s anti-interracial romance movie--captivated the determinedly love-struck crowd.

And the handful of new songs he premiered sounded of a piece with his higher-ground standards, notably “Ms. and Mr. Little Ones,” a song of apology to a younger generation for having passed down the sins of the fathers, and “Sorry,” a bouncy abandoned-man plea (and probable single). A nice appetite-whetter, if nothing else.

Due no doubt to confusing last-minute date changes, the shows did not sell out, and Darbarpar is still in need of funds for her operation. For information on where to send donations, call (213) 550-1533.