I've never been a big fan of Paul Simon, but last night my wife talked me into going to hear him at the Arena here in Milan. What a &%$%ing performance! His band was the tightest, smokinist, inspired band I've heard in a long time . . . Rhythm section was absolutely killin' and guitarist Mark Stewart was incredible . . . "Mrs. Robinson", "Slip Slidin' Away", "Me & Julio Down By the Schoolyard", "You Can Call Me Al" -- all brilliant arrangements with the highest energy and inspiration.

Simon played a solo acoustic version of "The Sound of Silence" on a Martin 000 that was sublime. I never knew he could play like that. I got chills listening to that and when he finished, about 3000 people spontaneously jumped to their feet for a standing ovation- he really nailed that tune perfectly . . .

All in all, great performance -- I know I sound like I'm gushing, but he really put on an extraordinary performance.

Paul Simon (and Ry Cooder) are my heros. They both never cease to amaze me with things new and different. I know it's been a while, but Graceland has to be one of the 10 best of all time, just when other rich stars would have been packing it in for the Desert Island. I saw the first Graceland tour and it was brilliant! The first time I saw him was at the Kingston Armory in the late 60's while in college and he and Artie (and one Martin guitar) sang us a bunch of songs to be in the upcoming movie with Dustin Hoffman (who?). Quite the career and one of the best poets of our generation, along with Dylan and Smokey Robinson. Glad you got a chance to see him live. Should be on everyones Bucket List.

quote:

in the upcoming movie with Dustin Hoffman

Can you be specific? Paul Simon's genius is not in the complicated but the simple runs: April Come She Will, S. Fair, Kathy's Song, and the underrated Most Peculiar Man, to name but a few. As an owner of two Collings he also has good taste in guitars. Paul Simon is the chief inspiration that caused me to take up the guitar and he still delights and amazes me. As his alt verse in the Boxer goes: "After changes upon changes we are more or less the same. After changes we are more or less the same".

If the question is serious - The Graduate.

Glowing review indeed Redavide... I've heard some "alleged" stories about him from people in the biz that left me a little soured on Mr. Simon...and ultimately who knows if they were true.

One way or the other, his music is part of the American fabric. Some of his tunes are simply transcending.

Was Steve Gadd anchoring the backline?

dave

Acoustic Dave:

Drummer was Charley Drayton, from Brooklyn, NY. I guess when you're sitting in for Steve Gadd, those are some pretty big shoes to fill, but he got the job done and then some. The rest of the rhythm section was Simon's usual monster bassist, Bakithi Kumalo and auxiliary percussionist Jamey Haddad.

Yeah, those are some serious cats...

My son, in addition to being a very good guitarist, is a drummer. In that world, it's Steve Godd. The guy is off the hook. If you get a chance, watch the old Central Park concert with Garfunkel, and check out "Late in the Evening". Santana eat your heart out. Jeez. And, imho, Paul Simon is one of the most remarkable songwriters of a remarkable generation of songwriters. "Let us be lovers, we'll marry our fortunes together, I've got some real estate here in my bag." That was a song I played when I was riding Greyhounds around the west, playing music and living it out. tom

"Counting the cars on the NJ Turnpike". Fortunately, I haven't been on the "Turnpike" on a weekday for quite a while, but, boy, that lyric made us proud.

A bit of mundane trivia - Ralph MacDonald played percussion on Late in The Evening, along with Gadd, Eric Gale, Tony Levin, the Brecker Bros, Hiram Bullock, David Sanborn, Hugh McCracken and Richard Tee. Not a bad band!! During a two-month period in the early 80s, MacDonald played on 75 songs that hit the top 100.

Randy, I haven't been on the Turnpike since February, 2001. Our son went to St. Peter's College in ever so lovely Jersey City on a full ride swimming scholarship, so we went every year for the MAAC championships. He graduated that June, but many of his friends were on the way to class on September 11; the campus is right across the river from where the Trade Towers used to be. They saw it happen. So did we all, but not in person. I think I'll go play some Paul Simon and try to get that image to the back of my brain instead of the front. As far as those drummers: Lord have mercy, they were cookin' with gas. Tremendous. best tom

Randy, just last week I had to ferry a Bertram 37 from Bayshore, LI to Camden, NJ. Did 85 all the way back on the turnpike, no problem. Did the perfunctory visit to Umanov's on Bleeker Street while in town.

Don't forget the lovely guitar work of Pete Carr on There Goes Rhymin' Simon. Also Grady Tate on drums and Maggie and Terre Roche supplying vocals.

BTW, the first choice for Benjamin Braddock, Robert Redford, was rejected when he responded "no" to the question posed by Mike Nichols: "were you ever turned down by a girl"?. Thank goodness Dustbin Hoffman got the role.

85 - you must have been in the middle lane. Try that in the fast lane and you'll have impatient drivers on your ass.
Wow, Rhymin' Simon. Listen to American Tune and see how it's still the bookend to America. A little older and a little wiser.