POP MUSIC REVIEW : Take 6 No Longer A Cappella

So many people saw Stevie Wonder arrive at the Coach House Wednesday for Take 6’s performance that the room was abuzz with the hope that he might join the vocal sextet on stage. And sure enough, Wonder made a brief appearance, adding his voice to the ensemble’s encore of “Spread Love,” with Sheila E. guesting on congas.

But the evening’s real news was “this thing behind us,” as singer Claude V. McKnight III said early in the set. That’s right, the vocal ensemble prized for its sparkling a cappella harmonies has added instrumental backing.

It’s not that they need it. In fact, the six-piece backup band was mainly limited to rhythmic accompaniment, freeing the vocalists to swoop and soar. When the entire band--two keyboardists, two percussionists, bass and guitar--did kick in, it tended to obscure the voices, washing out the vocal harmonics with synthesizer prattle and guitar licks.

The group’s new material, designed to take advantage of the instrumental support, still carries Christian themes but has taken a decided turn from the bop, doo-wop and gospel style that brought them fame. In its place are back-beat heavy riffs and soulful ballads that seem tailor-made for radio play. Still, when the group performed a cappella or with minimal instrumental backing, the transparent blend of their six voices could be positively chilling.