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Short & sweet (the man and the concert)

After the chart-topping duo of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, yet before the monumental recordings of Simon’s Graceland or Hearts & Bones, the diminutive singer/songwriter/guitarist put out a few solo albums with an occasional reunion occurring between he and Art. Just prior to his 19981 reunion with his old partner, Simon had released One Trick Pony (partially a soundtrack for a movie in which Simon also starred) and went on a tour which would feature the song by the same name and “Late in the Evening,” a song which hit #6 on the Billboard chart.

Simon’s show was captured Live From Philadelphia for the whole world to see. The show had a stage that looked like an urban city neighborhood, complete with a stage floor that resembled a basketball court in a city park. This extremely short concert contains 11 songs, counting the two previously mentioned, spanning his duet with Garfunkel and his solo career up to that point.

The entertaining show had the same musicians that appeared in the film, including Jazz guitarist Eric Gale, drummer Steve Gadd, pianist Richard Tee, keyboardist Paul Levin and his more renowned brother, Tony Levin, on bass guitar. Needless to say, this a band bubbling over with superb talent and a bunch of easy-going guys. As a matter of fact, Simon not only jokes around with the band and audience, but even includes the film crew on occasion and makes one cameraman about jump out of his skin when he doesn’t realize that Paul is talking to him during the middle of the show.

The show begins with “Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard.” It’s followed by “Still Crazy After All These Years,” Ace in the Hole” and “Something So Right” before going into “One Trick Pony.”

“Jonah” is a quiet, jazzy tune that comes next before the #1 hit, “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover.”  The song is a crowd favorite, of course.

“Late in the Evening” is just fun, complete with Gadd’s four drumstick approach to give the song that unmistakable licking sound that accompanies the song as the island Calypso-esque music plays. The band is joined by a robust horn section and fills out the song.

“American Tune” and “The Boxer”  are two more songs in the set list before the show ends with “The Sound of Silence,” which Simon plays all on his lonesome. Not that his guitar skills aren’t obvious throughout the entire concert, but when you listen to his playing and hear that sorrow in his voice, it really hits home how talented the man is.

Unfortunately, the 53 minute concert has no extras. It is fullscreen and has audio options in Dolby Digital Stereo, 5.1 Surround and DTS Digital Surround. The packaging, possibly a concerted effort to leave a smaller impact on the environment, is a relatively thin cardboard case instead of the thicker plastic shell that we have become more accustomed to.

Paul Simon: Live From Philadelphia is a terrific concert, it would just be nice if there was more to the DVD.

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