Paul Simon
Live In New York City
(Concord Music Group)
Rating: 4 stars
At the age of 70, Paul Simon can still hold an audience spellbound until late in the evening. With a multi-cultural, multi-talented and a multi-rhythmic band behind him, the songwriting legend does exactly that at this special club gig at New York City’s Webster Hall, (once known for it’s cheesy dance parties, but now a respectable venue.) New songs like “Rewrite,” “The Afterlife,” “Dazzling Blue,” and “So Beautiful Or So What” share the set list with underperformed fan favorites – like the arching, lyrical “Hearts And Bones” and Graceland deep cuts like “That Was Your Mother,” “Gumboots” and “Crazy Love, Vol. II.” The highlight of the night goes to “The Only Living Boy In New York,” one of the most poignant Simon and Garfunkel songs in a very poignant catalog. Too bad Artie wasn’t around to flesh out this “neighborhood concert.”