The Concert in Central Park

Furthermore, in ways, this is a Paul Simon concert with special guest Art Gunfunkel. There are many Paul Simon songs from his solo years up until that time. Some of the Simon's solo songs don't adopt well to suddenly becoming S&G vehicles, though Garfunkel's reading of American Tune is beautiful. Anyway, this reunion smacks a bit of opportunism on the part of Simon, but I guess he's entitled.

S&G's saga parallels that of the Beatles - they took that particular sound as far as they could, and then it was time to move on. At the time of breakup, I lamented it (I had to deal with the breakup of my two favorite groups within six months of each other). But, like the Beatles, it was the right thing to happen.

That doesn't mean there can't be "reunion" concerts or projects like this one, but it is true that you can never really "go back." I am happy that S&G reconciled sufficiently to make an event like this possible - the Beatles never did - and I am happy that it has been preserved for posterity. But, if you really want to hear what S&G were all about, you really need to hear the original recordings. This is merely a very nice gift to all their fans, and for that we should be grateful.


Best imbibed in other ways   December 18, 2001
kennedy19 (wakefield, ma USA)
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

Simon and Garfunkel were one of popular music's finest acts; their sixties canon is as impressive as any, thanks to Paul Simon's incredible songwriting talent and Art Garfunkel's evocative tenor harmonies. In the seventies, Simon showed himself to be a solo artist of great distinction. Then in 1981, Simon had plans to do a solo concert in Central Park and somehow it turned into a S&G reunion: one which never went any further than this concert, as no new duo projects were forthcoming. Thus, what we get is a curious mix of a Simon solo concert with Garfunkel contributing, and a S&G nostalgia walk down memory lane. The large band that plays behind them in this extravaganza is top notch, but it is evident from the filmed footage of the concert (with terrible makeup jobs on the stars) that Paul and Art aren't really relating to each other; they chat with the band or the audience but barely look at each other in between the numbers, and seem ill at ease sharing the stage. Still, they turn in professional performances of most of their big hits, along with many of Simon's seventies tunes. I guess the overall feeling I get from this album is that it might have been fun to be in the audience at this show, but if I want to hear Simon and Garfunkel I would much rather listen to their original recordings. The live versions contribute nothing to the songs that isn't on their original records (except maybe the live energy of Simon's 70s rocker "Late in the Evening" and the extra harmony Garfunkel adds to "Slip Sliding Away"; this is also a good place to hear Art's beautiful solo song "A Heart in New York.") Instead of this ephemeral product, I suggest you get a copy of their box set "Old Friends" which showcases their growth, both live and in the studio, through the period of their true collaboration. (The box set also has superb sound quality.)


Poignant and awesome   November 26, 1999
slakhead (United States of America)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

This whole CD is breathtaking. I have never heard such a powerful collection of words and chords before and i dont believe i ever will. Paul Simon has a voice that was meant to sooth and empathize. Art Garfunkel almost seems like he isnt there. Thats how good he is. The harmony is brilliant. I still listen to this album every day and wish I could find America...This is an album to own. This is something you will cherish and keep.


Do Buy This   September 5, 1999
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

I'm not going to gush that it's the best CD ever made, but it's certainly worth your $. There are a *ton* of great songs on here, and they're so funky--much more so than studio recordings! If you're finicky for polished performances and surround sound, you might get frustrated, but I'm pretty fussy when it comes to that and I still enjoy these performances immensely. This album is about as good as it gets with Simon and Garfunkel.

Plus, there are very few songs you're going to want to skip over, so you're not going to find yourself with 8 minutes of music after you get to the good stuff. Even if you own every album/compilation and have every song, you'll want to hear the 'revved up' live versions. This is a great CD to bring on roadtrips--I drove from western CT to Rhode Island playing just this CD, and my friend and I had a blast. When you close your eyes, it's like you're there!