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Love in Hard Times: American Tunes

April 24, 2008 at 11:19 am · Filed under Paul Simon

What an impressive setlist. Here’s hoping the whole show emergers on DVD.

American Tune ? the Roches
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard ? Paul Simon
Graceland ? Grizzly Bear
Mother and Child Reunion ? Grizzly Bear
Peace like A River ?Amos Lee
Nobody ? Amos Lee
Slip Slidin? Away ? Olu Dara
50 Ways to Leave your Lover ? Olu Dara
Still Crazy ? Olu Dara
Another Galaxy ? the Roches
Cecilia ? the Roches
America ? Josh Groban
Silent Eyes ? Josh Groban
Bridge Over Troubled Water ? Josh Groban
Gone at Last ? Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings
Duncan ? Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings
The Boxer ?Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings
The Sound of Silence ? Paul Simon and Gillian Welch
Mrs. Robinson ? Paul Simon
Train in the Distance ? Paul Simon
How can you live in Northeast ? Paul Simon
The Only Living Boy in New York ? Paul Simon and the Roches
Late in the Evening ? Paul Simon

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Amos Lee Added to American Tunes Show

April 19, 2008 at 12:43 am · Filed under Paul Simon

Subject says it all. Amos joins previously announced performers Olu Dara, Gillian Welch, the Roches, Josh Groban and Grizzly Bear for the last set of Love In Hard Times shows at BAM. Oh, and some guy named Paul Simon will be hanging out on stage as well. Looks like there may even be a few tickets available. More info at the BAM site here. I still contend that the final suite of shows will be the most interesting of the three, though it will have to be pretty special to top the joyfulness of Under African Skies.

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Love In Hard Times: Video

April 17, 2008 at 5:48 pm · Filed under Paul Simon

In anticipation of a write-up of Saturday’s Under African Skies show in Brooklyn, here’s some video of David Byrne peforming “I Know What I Know” and “You Can Call Me Al” from Friday night. Enjoy!

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Quick Hits

April 2, 2008 at 3:50 pm · Filed under Paul Simon

“Love in Hard Times: The Music of Paul Simon,” a monthlong artist-in-residence gig began last night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The examination of Paul’s work is composed of a suite of three concerts over three April weekends, beginning with “Songs from the Capeman,” a musical staging of Paul’s Broadway musical; “Under African Skies,” a retrospective of his African and South American inspired songs; and “American Tunes,” featuring elements of Simon’s earlier catalogue. Simon performs with an eclectic batch of guests at each gig. Also on tap is a screening of “The Graduate” and a May one-on-one chat between Simon and Philip Glass.Visit the Bam site for more info. Here’s a quick write-up of last night’s Capeman premiere from the most passionate of the musical’s fans, as posted to alt.music.paul-simon:

If you’re someone who missed the show and wants to see what it was like… don’t see this concert. If you’re expecting Paul to be on stage the entire show, once again, don’t see this concert.

However, if you love the music from The Capeman and want to see it performed by an extremely talented cast that includes many original cast members, this is an event you should most certainly attend.

The score was reduced by about 30% and the two guest groups - Little Anthony and the Imperials and The Spanish Harlem Orchestra - both performed their own hits before the performance started.

The female lead was played by Claudette Sierra, who was Ednita Nazario’s understudy in the original problem. Marc Anthony’s role was split between Frankie Negron (who was Paul’s first choice for the role in the original production) and Obie Bermudez. Bermudez also doubled as the umbrellaman. Original cast member Rey de la Paz took over the late Nestor Sanchez’s role as St Lazarus and Luba Mason sang the parts for both mothers in Can I Forgive Him. Paul, of course, sang Trailways Bus.

Strangely, Christmas in the Mountains and Carmen were performed, even though many of the songs that were in the show were cut from this version.

The encour was Danny Rivera’s Spanish version of Born In Puerto Rico followed by Paul and The Spanish Harlem Orchestra performing Late In the Evening together.

All in all a fun concert, as long as you go in with the correct expectations. It seemed a lot of people were upset with how long Paul was on stage and others were upset that the entire show was not performed.

After the performance, we went to the cast party. Paul gave a speech in which he said he enjoyed revisiting the show and he actually really likes it and he may be throwing around a few ideas involving it. So it may not be the end of The Capeman after all!
A European tour is in the works, with some dates already on sale - England and Ireland at the start of July and Switzerland and Germany at the end of the month are already announced. Details in the forum at The Neck of my Guitar.
Back with more soon enough, including a reflection on the BAM series.

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Best Homeward Bound

August 29, 2007 at 10:40 pm · Filed under Paul Simon, Music, Vault

“Homeward Bound” exists in many incarnations. From the folk-rock Simon & Garfunkel arrangement of the 1960s to the Flamenco and piano jazz Simon & Garfunkel take from 2003-04, Paul Simon’s best road song has clearly stood the test of time. But what’s the best version?

Well, I’m partial to the “Old Friends” tour approach, which highlighted the band. Warren Bernhardt takes the melody to new, interesting places on piano, Mark Stewart adds an atmospheric guitar part and Larry Saltzman introduces some Spanish flavour on guitar.

But something about it isn’t quite perfect. Maybe it’s over-arranged.

In 2002 Simon toured Europe, stopping for a night in Liverpool, as close as he’s going to geographically get to the song’s origin. The performance stellar, largely due to the rather loud audience participation. But it, too, is off. Maybe it’s the undeniable cheerfulness; “Homeward Bound” is a sad song, a solo expression.

The best performance, it turns out, is from a TV taping in Cleveland, for the short-lived VH1 program “In Tune,” featuring Paul Simon and John Mayer. Simon’s singing captures the song’s tenderness and longing, and the guitar accompaniment is perfect (catch the fill in the third verse, and the harmonic period at the end). If anyone has the video handy, drop me a line.

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Live From Abbey Road - August 30 in the U.S.

August 29, 2007 at 9:56 pm · Filed under Paul Simon

Patrick88 writes in the comments:

Paul Simon will perform and discuss his work on tomorrow night’s episode (August 30th) of Live From Abbey Road on the Sundance Channel! Recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. For more info, visit: www.livefromabbeyroad.com

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A Boxer and Child Reunion of Sorts

August 17, 2007 at 9:52 pm · Filed under Paul Simon

The opening bars to “The Boxer,” perhaps Paul Simon’s most enduring song, are instantly recognizable because of one man: Fred Carter Jr., the Nashville session player whose cascading melody line (in an alternate tuning) introduces the song’s first verse. Fred’s daughter, Deana, is releasing an album in October that features both her dad’s playing and a version of “The Boxer” - with Paul Simon’s son, Harper. More details from CMT.

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Simon & Garfunkel Mayer Eno Masekela?

August 17, 2007 at 9:31 pm · Filed under Paul Simon, Live, rumour mill

In an interview with the Scotsman on Sunday, legendary flugelhorn player and Graceland show star Hugh Masekela hinted at a possible world tour with Paul Simon:

Masekela and Simon reunite over Darfur
MIKE WADE

LEGENDARY musicians Hugh Masekela and Paul Simon - who played together in the controversial Graceland tour of 1986 - are to reunite in a series of concerts aimed at prompting politicians to end the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Beginning next month with a concert in New York, the pair will launch a worldwide tour, with the support of other musicians including the singers Youssou N’Dour and Angelica Kidjo. The first performance is set to coincide with a meeting of the UN heads of state on September 25.

“It will be targeted at people who can be effective,” said Masekela, who is in Edinburgh for a concert at the Queen’s Hall tonight as part of the Fringe. “We want to get the heads of state and ministers and say to them, ‘This is serious. You have to do something about it.’”

Sudan’s government and the pro-government Arab militias are accused of war crimes against Darfur’s black African population. An estimated 250,000 people have died, with two million more living in refugee camps.

“Are we going to sit around and watch another Rwanda, and just sigh, ‘This is bad,’” said Masekela, who is an African Union goodwill ambassador for Darfur. “I called Paul and said, ‘I’m working with the Darfur people - I need your help.’ He said, ‘You just tell me what it is and I’ll be there.’

“We will do the concert in a place where we can get 500 people or so - and focus on people who can do something about it. Then we want to do a tour and hope it helps.”

Masekela, 68, has never shied away from controversy. His song Bring Him Back Home became an anthem of the campaign to free Nelson Mandela, but his involvement with Simon’s Graceland tour brought accusations of breaking a cultural boycott of South Africa.

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Simon & Garfunkel Meet the Three Stooges

August 17, 2007 at 9:24 pm · Filed under Paul Simon

This YouTube gem is a barrel of laughs.

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Simon & Garfunkel Down Under?

July 17, 2007 at 2:33 pm · Filed under Paul Simon

The Australian Herald-Sun reports that S&G might be headed there in early 2008:

Simon and Garfunkel set for tour

Promoters are negotiating to bring legendary folk duo Simon and Garfunkel to Australia.

Dates have been tentatively locked in for early next year, with two rival promoters now bidding.

The pair, whose infighting over money is legendary, last re-formed for a tour in 2004.

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel reportedly demanded $1.1 million between them for each show.

The new tour will follow the release of a vintage concert recording, Live 1969, in September.

The duo’s last Australian tour was in 1983.

After shows in New York and Japan in 1993 they played at 2003’s Grammy Awards, and a tour that year earned $73 million. Shows in 2004 earned $35 million.

The duo have sold more than 40 million albums with hits including The Sound of Silence, I Am a Rock, Hazy Shade of Winter, Mrs Robinson and Bridge Over Troubled Water.

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Next entries »

Archive for Paul Simon

Love in Hard Times: American Tunes

Amos Lee Added to American Tunes Show

Love In Hard Times: Video

Quick Hits

Best Homeward Bound

Live From Abbey Road - August 30 in the U.S.

A Boxer and Child Reunion of Sorts

Simon & Garfunkel Mayer Eno Masekela?

Simon & Garfunkel Meet the Three Stooges

Simon & Garfunkel Down Under?

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