BROOKLYN, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Brooklyn Academy of Music) - BAM presents Love in Hard Times: The
Music of Paul Simon, three unique engagements - all part of a series celebrating and exploring the music and lyrics of Paul Simon. Inspired by locales ranging from the Mississipi Delta to the townships of Johannesburg, the extraordinary music of
Paul Simon will be part of BAM's
Spring 2008 season in April. The three programs include Songs from The Capeman, Under African Skies, and American Tunes and will include performers such as Oscar Hernandez and The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Claudette Sierra, Obie Bermudez, Ray de la Paz,
Little Anthony and the Imperials, Hugh Masekela,
Milton Nascimento, Kaissa,
David Byrne, Luciana Souza, Cyro Baptista,Olu Dara, Grizzly Bear, The Roches, and others including Paul Simon. Phil Ramone is the musical advisor for Love in Hard Times: The
Music of Paul Simon.
'We are so pleased that Paul agreed to let us do this series. He is a true New York City and BAM artist-courageous, pioneering, and deeply heartfelt. His unique storytelling through music has touched the world. There is an elegance to his music,' commented BAM Executive Producer Joseph V. Melillo. BAM President Karen Brooks Hopkins added, 'Paul Simon's vast body of work over 40 years warranted a new kind of retrospective. BAM wanted to give audiences over an extended period of time the opportunity to experience the totality of his talent and contribution to popular music.'
The first event of the series, Songs from The Capeman, (April 1–6), will be a concert staging of the 1998 Broadway show The Capeman that includes the doo-wop, rock and roll, and Latin rhythms of a special New York musical era. The music of The Capeman was written by Paul Simon with lyrics by Paul Simon and Derek Walcott. The Capeman is based on the life of Salvador Agron, a Puerto Rican teenager convicted of murder in 1959. Grammy-nominated Oscar Hernandez and The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Latin Jazz vocalist and original Capeman cast member Claudette Sierra, Latin Grammy-winning artist Obie Bermudez, Salsa and Jazz singer Ray de la Paz, and Paul Simon are confirmed to appear with more artists to be announced. This engagement will also feature a special appearance by Little Anthony and the Imperials.
Under African Skies (April 9–13) rekindles Paul's passion for the rhythms of South Africa and Brazil represented in the Grammy Award-winning, critically acclaimed albums Graceland and The Rhythm of the Saints. Simon will be joined by South African trumpeter and composer Hugh Masekela, Brazilian singer/songwriter Milton Nascimento, Cameroonian vocalist Kaissa, David Byrne, Brazilian songstress Luciana Souza, and world renowned Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista. Simon's band will include: Jay Ashby (trombone), Anthony Cedras (keys & accordion), Steve Gadd (drums), Jamey Haddad (percussion), Jim Hynes (trumpet), Bakithi Kumalo (bass), Vincent Nguini (guitar), and Andrew Snitzer (saxophone). Many of which were members of his original Graceland band. Mark Stewart will be the musical director for Under African Skies.
American Tunes (April 23–27) will be a revisit to the quiet railway stations, urban sounds, and immigrant dreams covering a wide range of songs throughout Paul Simon's brilliant career. American bluesman Olu Dara, Brooklyn-based indie band Grizzly Bear, and harmonic trio The Roches and others to be announced will all be performing along with Paul Simon.
For Tickets and Information
Tickets for the Love in Hard Times: The Music of Paul Simon engagements go on sale Feb 11 (Feb 4 for Friends of BAM and Visa Signature cardholders). For ticket information, call BAM Ticket Services at 718.636.4100 or order online at BAM.org. A limited number of preferred seat locations for Love in Hard Times: The Music of Paul Simon are available to Visa Signature cardholders.
Tickets for Paul Simon: Songs from The Capeman (Apr 1–6 at 8pm) taking place at the BAM Harvey Theater (651 Fulton St) are: $30, 50, 65.
Tickets for Paul Simon: Under African Skies (Apr 9 at 7pm and Apr 10–13 at 8pm) taking place at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Ave) are $45, 60, 75, 95.
Tickets for Paul Simon: American Tunes (Apr 23–27 at 8pm) taking place at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Ave) are $45, 60, 75, 95.
About Paul Simon
During his distinguished career Paul Simon has been the recipient of many honors and awards including twelve Grammy Awards, three of which (Bridge Over Troubled Water, Still Crazy After All These Years, and Graceland) were albums of the year. In 2003 he was given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as half of the duo Simon and Garfunkel. He is an inductee of The Songwriters Hall of Fame and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame both as a member of Simon and Garfunkel and as a solo artist. His song 'Mrs. Robinson' from the motion picture The Graduate was named in the top ten of The American Film Institute's 100 Years 100 Songs. He was a recipient of The Kennedy Center Honors in 2003 and was named as one of Time Magazine's '100 People Who Shape Our World' in 2006. Recently, Mr. Simon was a recipient of the first Gershwin Prize for 'Popular Song' awarded by the Library of Congress.
Of Simon's many concert appearances he is most fond of the two concerts in Central Park in New York (with his partner and childhood friend Art Garfunkel in 1981 and as a solo artist in 1991) and the series of shows he did at the invitation of Nelson Mandela in South Africa-the first American artist to perform in post-apartheid South Africa.
Paul Simon's philanthropic work includes the co-founding of The Children's Health Fund with Dr. Irwin Redlener. The CHF donates and staffs mobile medical vans that bring health care to poor and indigent children in urban and rural locations around the United States. In the 20 years since its inception it has provided over 1,500,000 doctor/patient visits. In the wake of Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina it was the primary health care source for those communities decimated by the storms. Mr. Simon has also raised millions of dollars for worthy causes as varied as AMFAR, The Nature Conservancy, The Fund for Imprisoned Children In South Africa, and Autism Speaks. In 1989 The United Negro College Fund honored him with its Frederick D. Patterson Award.
