The Essential Paul Simon

Performer: Paul Simon
Producer: Paul Simon; Russ Titelman; Roy Halee; Phil Ramone
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel: Cissy Houston, Deidre Tuck, The Dixie Hummingbirds, Renelie Stafford, Von Eva Sims (vocals); Hucks Brown, David Spinozza, Los Incas, Wallace "Red Rat" Wilson (guitar); Hugh McCracken, Jimmy Johnson, John Tropea, Pete Carr (electric guitar); Charango (flute); Larry Knechtel (piano); Neville Hinds, Ken Asher (organ); Russell George, David Hood, Jackie Jackson (bass guitar); Roger Hawkins, Steve Gadd , Winston Grennan (drums); Airto Moreira, Ralph McDonald , Denzel Laing (percussion); Patti Austin, Valerie Simpson, Phoebe Snow (background vocals). Additional personnel: Phoebe Snow & The Jessy Dixon Singers. Are 36 songs enough to truly encompass the "essential" items in the catalog of a master craftsman like Paul Simon? Probably not, but it's a healthy dose, and a damned fine anthology regardless. Roughly chronological in sequence, THE ESSENTIAL PAUL SIMON focuses exclusively on the folk-rock hero's post-Garfunkel days, and follows his maturation as a songwriter and record-maker. In retrospect, it quickly becomes apparent that the cross-genre concoctions of his celebrated 1986 album, GRACELAND, had been part of his modus operandi all along: see the reggae lilt of "Mother and Child Reunion," the salsa flavor of "Late in the Evening," and the gospel glow of "Loves Me Like a Rock." Whatever the musical mode, every song on this satisfying collection is powered by Simon's rocket-science harmonic know-how and vivid poetic imagery, making this a powerful musical snapshot of an artist constantly in motion.

Q (Magazine) (p.153) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Several fine songs from 2006's SURPRISE prove that Simon still remains a master of his craft."

Besides being one-half of pop's legendary duo Simon & Garfunkel would be enough for most people, but Paul Simon went on to reap just as much acclaim and success as a solo artist. In the 1970s, he was at the vanguard of the singer-songwriter movement, marrying brainy lyrics with sophisticated pop music. In the '80s, he was one of the first pop artists to successfully combine world music into his sound, resulting in the South African flavor of Simon's landmark GRACELAND album, and subsequent flirtations with Brazilian and Latin styles.

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