As far as musical re-inventions and experimentation go, it’s difficult to find anyone who did it better than Paul Simon. Graceland remains one of the most impressive musical statements in the history of popular music and the songs still sound as vital and alive as they did in 1986. Simon performed a concert in Zimbabwe a short time after the release of the album and the result is an almost perfect musical snapshot of the blend of styles and cultures. Here are the performances of both “Graceland” and “You Can Call Me Al”, I had to highlight both because they lead into one another, and really, they’re both just fantastic tunes. Enjoy, continue reading...
Midón’s brilliance in all three areas is on vivid display on his third album, ‘Synthesis’ (April 13/Decca), recorded by legendary producer and bassist Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock) with some of L.A.’s finest musicians. The album features eleven new songs, including ten Midon originals and a stunning cover of The Beatles’ “Blackbird.” continue reading...
