CD Review: Paul Simon Brings His Songs To Life In New York City

Iconic singer/songwriter Paul Simon released one of his most successful albums last year, “So Beautiful Or So What” which inspired him to hit the road for a world tour. From that tour, we get the latest release from the Concord Music Group in association with Hear Music, “Paul Simon Live In New York City.” This 2CD/1DVD set features a 20-song, 90-minute performance by Paul Simon and his amazing band in front of his hometown fans in a special club performance at New York City’s historic Webster Hall.

The two CDs mirror the music that is presented on the DVD. Beginning with the upbeat sounds of “The Obvious Child,” Simon uses this song to introduce his band to the audience. The track list for this set features four songs from his latest album intertwined masterfully between classic solo hits “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” and “The Boy In The Bubble.” The DVD does a great job highlighting the members of Simon’s backing band as they breathe new life into such classics as “Mother And Child Reunion” and “The Only Living Boy In New York.” The visual aspects allow you to appreciate the musicianship that Simon’s backing band has and what exactly goes into making his music sound as good as does in the studio. The show’s encore becomes extra special as Simon graces the stage solo with an acoustic guitar, starting off with a gentle rendition of the Simon & Garfunkel masterpiece “The Sound Of Silence.” Then the rest of the show turns into a party with the up-tempo songs “Kodachrome” and “Late In the Evening” as you feel like you are in the front row enjoying a master at work on his craft. Paul Simon pulls this off so effortlessly that you envy his abilities and how well he assembles backing musicians to make his music come alive.

This set was released back on September 18 and features one of the mostly complete live performances of Paul Simon’s long and storied musical career. For more information on this release, please visit concordmusicgroup.com.