Art Garfunkel live!

Art Garfunkel
Genesee Theatre, Waukegan
Friday, April 27, 2007

Considering Art Garfunkel reunited with Paul Simon in 2003 and released the CD/DVD concert chronicle Old Friends (Warner Bros.) a year later, the half decade between solo albums and tours doesn’t seem nearly so long. But that’s indeed been the gap between a Park West performance in support of Everything Waits To Be Noticed (Manhattan) and his tour behind the brand new Some Enchanted Evening (Atco), though this time the focus shifted from strictly his solo catalog (with a few Simon & Garfunkel staples sprinkled in) to a show laced with standards among many more of the obligatory hits.

Though a trip through the Great American Songbook is hardly anything new for a graying singer, the enchanting vocalist is truly turning up the competitive heat to much less satisfying attempts by Rod Stewart and Barry Manilow. Rather than dripping with schmaltz and sap, he used his pristine pipes as an instrument in tastefully interpreting George and Ira Gershwin’s gorgeous “Someone To Watch Over Me” and the cozy Rodgers & Hammerstein classic “Some Enchanted Evening.”

Thankfully, Garfunkel was cautious not to overwhelm his audience with interpretative material, touching on only a few other “new” bases (including the slow-going suppertime jazz of “Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars”) in favor of charming pop craftsmanship. During the first of his two-act show, Garfunkel and a tightly wound four-piece band switched between the colorful “A Heart In New York” and the sing-along “Scarborough Fair” with true beauty and class. Though the momentum took a slight dip come the trite ballad “Perfect Moment” and a slightly self-indulgent poetry reading, the set’s acoustic conclusion of “Kathy’s Song” again showcased the headliner’s unwavering range.

However, Garfunkel really turned up the thermostat in the second half, dedicating a significant amount of time to his heyday with Simon, even suggesting the pair would reconvene yet again. But for now he did just fine carrying the gleeful glow of “The Boxer” and the glorious “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” accompanied on the grand piano by frequent James Taylor sideman Clifford Carter. In fact, the pianist would almost steal the show come a lush solo on an extended version of “All I Know,” which signified Garfunkel’s solo pinnacle.

The peppiest moment came courtesy of “Cecilia,” though the African-tipped arrangements were better implemented during Simon’s recent *Surprise* tour. His partner’s harmonies were also missed during “The Sound Of Silence,” but Garfunkel still managed to command the audience’s attention to the point of being able to hear a pin drop. His finale, “Goodnight, My Love,” sent the audience out on a tame and tender romantic note, though some patrons could be heard grumbling about key songs left off the set list. The most glaring S&G-era omissions included “Homeward Bound” and “Mrs. Robinson,” both of which would’ve been an appreciated addition to round out the enlightening highlight reel of pop music’s past century.

— Andy Argyrakis

Category: Live Reviews, Weekly