Paul Simon: Still Rockin' after All These Years

Paul Simon, 9:30 Club, Washington

Those of us lucky enough to have been at Paul Simon’s 9:30 Club show last night were kvelling for the entire show. Simon packed his 2-hour set with lots of classics, a couple of new songs (which sounded great), and even a couple of covers. His voice still sounds beautiful and pure; his band is absolutely stellar, and their well-placed solos and occasional jams were spot on.

Simon had just played DC’s DAR Constitution Hall a few days ago to rave reviews. But the 9:30, which holds about 1,200 people, is one third the size of DAR. Seeing him in this intimate setting was quite an experience and the (over)sold-out crowd showed him much love throughout the night.

The set, when considered as a whole, really reminds us of the breadth of Simon’s musical influences. So many genres—rock, blues, funk, zydeco, African rhythms, jazz, and even some gospel—and he tackles each one with great skill.

So what does kvell mean? It’s a Yiddish word meaning ‘bursting with pride.’ We all were. This show was pure joy.

Setlist included: (encores are correct but missing a couple songs in the main set)

The Boy In The Bubble
Dazzling Blue (new)
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
So Beautiful Or So What (new, title track)
Vietnam (Jimmy Cliff cover) / Mother And Child Reunion
That Was Your Mother
Hearts And Bones / Mystery Train (Junior Parker cover)
Slip Slidin´ Away
Rewrite (new)
Peace Like A River
The Obvious Child
The Only Living Boy In New York
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes (w/ drum break at the end)
Gumboots

Encore 1:
The Sound Of Silence (solo acoustic)
Kodachrome / Gone At Last
Here Comes The Sun (Beatles cover)
Late In The Evening

Encore 2:
Still Crazy After All These Years
Crazy Love Part II

Highlights of Nawlins Jazz Fest

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, first weekend, April 30-May 1

Whichever of the two weekends one attends Jazz Fest, the Fairgrounds and the clubs at night are guaranteed to be packed with incredible music of all kinds. There's zydeco and cajun music at the Fais Do Do stage; Mardi Gras Indians performing on the Heritage Stage (see Chief Monk Boudreaux, right); incredible music in the jazz, blues, and gospel tents; second line parades going through the Economy Hall tent; and then two main stages of music which this year featured the likes of Robert Plant & the Band of Joy, Dr. John, and John Mellencamp.

Daytime highlights at the Fairgrounds included: John Boutte singing in the jazz tent (this singer of the Treme theme song has a glorious voice; his cover of Hallelujah was breathtaking); Terrance Simien playing outstanding zydeco, including a medley of New Orleans classics that sent the crowd into a dancing frenzy (congrats on the Grammy!); and Trombone Shorty, who wasn't on the bill that weekend, but showed up all over the place, jamming with different bands, large and small.

For me, the most perplexing, and yet exhilarating, set came from Glen David Andrews in the blues tent. He was joined by very special guests Marcia Ball, a local boogie-woogie piano legend; violinist Amanda Shaw, and at the end his cousin Trombone Shorty for a fun jam. Glen crowd-surfed, incited the crowd to clap, cheer and dance, yet he barely sang a note (and never played a note on his trombone). When he does sing/play, he's generally fabulous! Rumor has it he played a stellar set that lit up the gospel tent second weekend.

And the night shows. Wow! Zigaboo Modaliste and friends did a round-robin drumming showcase that also featured Papa Mali and Eric Lindell at Howlin Wolf; Soul Rebels whipped up the crowd on Frenchman St at the Blue Nile for their Friday jam; and and Cyril Neville & Walter Wolfman Washington played back-to-back long sets at the newish club The Twelve Bar, in the CBD.

What a weekend it was!

captions:
1. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux
2. inside the gospel tent
3. Glen David Andrews w/ Amanda Shaw & Marcia Ball
4. Soul Rebels Brass
5. John Boutte
6. Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience
7. Cyril & Mrs. Neville