Paul Simon's Concert in the Park, August 15, 1991
Encyclopedia
Paul Simon's Concert in the Park is a live album
released in 1991 by Paul Simon
. It provided a survey of his two most recent albums, Graceland
and Rhythm of the Saints, and also drew liberally from his earlier songbook including a number of tunes from the Simon and Garfunkel era. 600,000 people were initially claimed to have attended the show, which was held in Central Park
, New York City
on August 15, 1991, though later estimates downgraded the number to less than 100,000. The concert was similar to The Concert in Central Park
, a reunion concert for both Simon and Garfunkel held ten years earlier.
Special Guests: Briz, Grupo Cultural OLODUM and Chevy Chase join Paul, dancing to "You Can Call Me Al".
This title has never been released on DVD and is the only Paul Simon video not to be released in this format. This could be due to the contract with Pioneer that restricted the re-issue of concerts by artists signed to Warners on any future format. In July 2011 a Facebook campaign has been started to request a release of the concert on DVD and Blue-Ray.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
released in 1991 by Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
. It provided a survey of his two most recent albums, Graceland
Graceland (album)
Graceland was Paul Simon's highest charting album in the U.S. in over a decade, reaching #3 in the national Billboard charts, receiving a certification of 5× Platinum by the RIAA and eventually selling over 14 million copies, making it Simon's most commercially successful album...
and Rhythm of the Saints, and also drew liberally from his earlier songbook including a number of tunes from the Simon and Garfunkel era. 600,000 people were initially claimed to have attended the show, which was held in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on August 15, 1991, though later estimates downgraded the number to less than 100,000. The concert was similar to The Concert in Central Park
The Concert in Central Park
The Concert in Central Park is a live album by Simon & Garfunkel. On September 19, 1981 the folk-rock duo reunited for a free concert on the Great Lawn of New York's Central Park, attended by more than 500,000 people. They released a live album from the concert the following March...
, a reunion concert for both Simon and Garfunkel held ten years earlier.
Disc 1
- "The Obvious Child"
- "The Boy in the Bubble"
- "She Moves On"
- "KodachromeKodachrome (song)"Kodachrome" is a song written and recorded by Paul Simon. It appeared on his 1973 album There Goes Rhymin' Simon.-Description:The song is named after the Kodak 35mm film Kodachrome...
" - "Born at the Right Time"
- "Train in the Distance"
- "Me and Julio Down by the SchoolyardMe and Julio Down by the Schoolyard"Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" is a song by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon from his 1972 self-titled album.-Lyrical subject:The song is about two boys who have broken a law, although the exact law that has been broken is not stated in the song and has become a matter of some debate...
" - "I Know What I Know"
- "The Cool, Cool River"
- "Bridge over Troubled WaterBridge over Troubled Water (song)"Bridge Over Troubled Water" is the title song of Simon & Garfunkel's album of the same name. The single was released on January 26, 1970, though it also appears on the live album Live 1969, released in 2008. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 28, 1970, and stayed at...
" - "Proof"
Disc 2
- "The Coast"
- "GracelandGraceland (song)"Graceland" is the title song of the album Graceland, released in 1986 by Paul Simon. The song features vocals by The Everly Brothers.The lyrics deal with the singer's thoughts during a road trip to Graceland after the failure of his marriage to actress and author Carrie Fisher.-Reception:It was...
" - "You Can Call Me AlYou Can Call Me Al"You Can Call Me Al" is a song by Paul Simon, the first single released from his album Graceland. The song originally charted in the U.S. at No. 44 in October 1986 but it was reissued with greater promotion in March 1987 and hit No. 23. In the UK it peaked at No. 4, while in Sweden and the...
" - "Still Crazy After All These Years"
- "Loves Me Like a Rock"
- "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes"
- "Hearts and Bones"
- "Late in the Evening"
- "AmericaAmerica (Paul Simon song)"America", written by Paul Simon, is a song popularized by 1960s folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. It was included in their album Bookends, released on 3 April 1968, and is notable as one of the few rock records to have a completely unrhymed lyric....
" - "The BoxerThe Boxer"The Boxer" is a folk rock ballad written by Paul Simon in 1968 and first recorded by Simon & Garfunkel. It was released as the follow-up single to their number one hit "Mrs. Robinson", and reached #7 in the US charts. It later appeared on their last studio album, Bridge Over Troubled Water, along...
" - "CeciliaCecilia (song)"Cecilia" is a song written by US musician Paul Simon. It was first recorded by Simon and Garfunkel for their 1970 album Bridge Over Troubled Water. When released as a single, it reached #4 in the US charts...
" - "The Sound of Silence"
The band
- Paul SimonPaul SimonPaul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
: vocals, guitar - Mingo Araujo: percussion
- Cyro BaptistaCyro BaptistaCyro Baptista is a Brazilian musician, teacher, and recording artist specializing in percussion in the genres of jazz and world music....
: percussion - Chris BottiChris BottiChristopher Stephen "Chris" Botti , is an American trumpeter and composer. In 2007, Botti was nominated for two Grammy Awards including Best Pop Instrumental Album. On December 4, 2009, he was nominated for three more Grammy Awards including Best Pop Instrumental Album and Best Long Form Music Video...
: trumpet - Michael BreckerMichael BreckerMichael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
: saxophones, EWI - Tony CedrasTony CedrasTony Cedras is a South African accordion, harmonium, keyboard and guitar player. He was born in Elsie's River, Cape Province, South Africa in 1952...
: piano, keyboards, accordion - Dom Chacal: percussion
- Steve GaddSteve GaddSteve Gadd is an American session and studio drummer, notable for his work with popular musicians from a wide range of genres.-Biography:...
: drums - Sidinho Moreira: percussion
- Vincent Nguini: guitar
- Ray PhiriRay PhiriRaymond Chikapa Phiri is an African jazz, fusion and mbaqanga musician born in Mpumalanga. He became founding member of the Cannibals in the 1970's...
: guitar - Barney Rachabane: saxophone, pennywhistle
- Armand Sabal-Lecco: bass guitar
- John Selolwane: guitar
- Richard TeeRichard TeeRichard Tee was a pianist, studio musician, singer and arranger.Tee graduated from the High School of Music and Art and attended the Manhattan School of Music. Though better known as a studio and session musician, Tee led a jazz ensemble, the Richard Tee Committee, and was a founding member of the...
: musical director, piano - The Waters (Oren Waters, Maxime Waters and Julia Waters): vocals
Special Guests: Briz, Grupo Cultural OLODUM and Chevy Chase join Paul, dancing to "You Can Call Me Al".
Formats
This title was released in both audio and video formats.- As a double live-album, it was released on CD, cassette and vinyl LP.
- Both VHS and Laserdisc formats were released with "Cecilia" omitted from the VHS and both "Cecilia" and "The Coast" omitted from the Laserdisc
This title has never been released on DVD and is the only Paul Simon video not to be released in this format. This could be due to the contract with Pioneer that restricted the re-issue of concerts by artists signed to Warners on any future format. In July 2011 a Facebook campaign has been started to request a release of the concert on DVD and Blue-Ray.