On Sunday evening it was as though he had never been away. His vocal dexterity seemingly boundless, as it had been half-a-century ago when the songs of Simon & Garfunkel spanned the world, searing into the collective consciousness of those who heard them in the moment, and those who came across them in later years.
That one of the greatest purveyors of popular music can still recreate the nuances of tone and texture that shaped classics such as The Boxer, The Sound of Silence, and Bridge Over Troubled Waters, is a joy.
Yes, the singing showed a degree of fragility, as would be expected from a performer who turns 76 this year. Garfunkel warned he would not be attempting the higher notes at the finale of Troubled Waters, but he and his two backing musicians had come up with an abridged version. "It's a work in progress," said Garfunkel. The standing ovation that followed the song was testament to its effectiveness.
It was a pared-back show, with Garfunkel singing, acoustic guitar by Tab Laven, and piano and keyboards by Dave Mackay. The intimate show was enriched by Garfunkel sprinkling in words of prose and poetry from his upcoming autobiography, to be released this September.
He took us to days gone by, not only the immediate pre-fame years as he and Simon busked around England and Paris, but to his childhood in Queens, New York. However, it was the songs that most magically transported the audience into their own precious memory moments. Scarborough Fair was an early gem for the evening, as was The Sound of Silence, which Garfunkel introduced as "the song that changed my whole life".
Garfunkel spoke of his walking journeys across the US and Europe. While on the latter trek he encountered cows in a field. The animals gathered around as he sang to them and, in their widening eyes, he sensed an inter-species connection through song. The anecdote led into his seminal solo hit, Bright Eyes, a worldwide smash except in the US, where the record company decided not to release it as it did not believe it would fit with the musical scene of 1979.
During the evening, Garfunkel alluded to the magic of connection through song between a performer and audience. He said it was at an early age that he realised he had a gift for singing when he saw how deep feelings, and even tears, were evoked in listeners. He decided to stick with singing and the world was enriched as a result, through the classics of Simon & Garfunkel, and his later solo work including 99 Miles to LA and Bright Eyes.
At the Thousand Oaks concert, Garfunkel's vocals were rich and gently nuanced. In the simplicity of the acoustic show his voice soared freely, taking the audience on a journey along an incredible half-century of music and songs.
I never thought I'd have the opportunity to attend a concert by Garfunkel. So it was by fortunate chance that Heather and I happened to be staying a few miles down the road from the venue, and that we saw a mention in a local newspaper that Garfunkel was due to put on a solo show. It was an evening to savour, and the songs reverberated with crystal clarity in my mind at daybreak each morning as I ran through the canyon trails.
BELOW: A recording of Garfunkel singing Bridge Over Troubled Waters, not at Thousand Oaks, but in New York City a few weeks earlier.
No comments:
Post a Comment