Official Music
Publication on The Web
Representing The Bay
Area
Best Seen with "Explorer"
  
|
|
ART GARFUNKEL
Rocking the USA!
|
.....
....Art Garfunkel, 61, has
spent the last three decades excelling in the art of living life. He's acted in
movies, released 11 solo albums, made his hair fuzzier than ever, and walked
across the United States, Japan and Europe. Having logged more than 4,500 miles
on his feet, Garfunkel took a break last year to record the collaborative CD
"Everything Waits to Be Noticed" with songwriters Maia Sharp and
Buddy Mondlock. The trio perform at the Fillmore in San Francisco.
....His voice is
one of the greatest in pop music history. Sunday night it was in full force, as
fans of his music through the years filled the Fillmore showered Art Garfunkel
with love and appreciation. It was well-deserved. Opening his set with a deeply
emotional timed rendition reading of his old bandmate Paul Simon's haunting
"American Tune," Garfunkel wasted no time before delving deeply into
the riveting, emotion-drenched countertenor that has endeared him to four
decades of listeners.
.....It seemed to
be no accident that Garfunkel chose to open his performance with this tune; its
lyrics seemed most appropriate as America stands on the brink of war. "But
it's all right/It's all right/For we've lived so well so long/Still, when I
think of the road we're traveling on/I wonder what went wrong/I can't help it,
I wonder what went wrong."The crowd seemed deeply moved. Garfunkel moved
directly into "A Heart in New York," another song that had added
resonance given recent events. It was clear to all in attendance that his
voice, even at 61, is still an amazingly versatile instrument, and that his
phrasing is without parallel in the world of popular music.
......Perhaps surprisingly, considering that
Garfunkel has been a solo artist since the demise of Simon & Garfunkel in
1970, the lion's share of the set list was S&G songs. "Cecilia"
was treated to an arrangement that emphasized its Caribbean roots and featured
Garfunkel's wife on harmony vocals. "Scarborough Fair" was elegiac
and heart-wrenching. At the conclusion of the song, which Garfunkel sang nigh
on perfectly, he addressed the crowd with one of many endearing asides.
"After all these years, I think I've finally begun to figure out what that
song is about," he quipped, as the audience chuckled en masse. "I
think it's about loss." The lovely Spanish "El Condor Pasa,"
originally recorded on S&G's swan song.
......The
highlight of the night was the brilliant "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
album, found its yearning melodies. Garfunkel sang the heck out of the tune.
His vocal on the original recording of the S&G classic "Bridge Over
Troubled Water" is one of the most sublime moments in the history of
recorded music. He nailed it .
...... Beautiful
renditions of songs from Garfunkel's solo career were peppered throughout the
set. "I Only Have Eyes For You' was with out a doubt his first classic
solo single. His version of Jimmy Webb's wistful "All I Know" was
flawless. The new "Perfect Moment," from the heartwarming, recently
released "Everything Waits to Be Noticed" album, cut the gig next to
the plethora of Paul Simon songs Garfunkel interpreted. That's saying
something. . Still, his decisions were smart ones - rephrasing certain
sections, pacing himself for the song's explosive coda. When he finished, the
crowd was on its feet, and Garfunkel beamed his appreciation. An emotionally
invested "Sound of Silence" capped off the evening and drove home one
resounding message: Garfunkel is an absolute treasure, a charming man with a
voice that strikes listeners to the quick. His was an absolutely outstanding
performance. By Randy
Cohen
........This is the Official Rock Publication Web Site
All photos and written material courtesy of Rock Publication
.Copyright © 2003
|
|
Check out Songs
of
ART GARFUNKEL
|
...........2003
