The lights dim inside New Brunswick, NJ’s historic State Theatre this Friday, March 15, 2019 for an intimate evening of stories, music, and poetry by singer, author, and actor Art Garfunkel.
Garfunkel, 77, was born in Queens, NY. His love for singing originated in first grade when he performed songs including “Unchained Melody” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone” in his school’s empty stairwells. Eventually, his father bought him a recorder and from that point on, he spent afternoons singing into it and playing back the recordings, always listening for flaws to be improved upon.
Garfunkel met his future musical partner, Paul Simon, in the sixth grade when both boys were cast in a school performance of Alice in Wonderland. It is said that Simon became interested in becoming a singer himself after hearing Art’s rendition of Nat King Cole’s “Too Young” in a school talent show.
In the late ’50s and early ’60s, Paul and Art performed together at school dances as Tom and Jerry. Their idols were a pop duo whom they modeled their close two-part harmony sound after — The Everly Brothers. In 1957, Paul and Art recorded the song “Hey Schoolgirl,” a Tom and Jerry single which reached #49 on the pop charts.
Following graduation from high school, Garfunkel majored in architecture at Columbia University. While there, his roommate, Simon Greenberg, developed glaucoma and went blind, so Garfunkel assisted Greenberg by reading his textbooks aloud to him. After Greenberg graduated with honors, he gave Garfunkel a gift of $500 which Garfunkel used to fund his and Paul’s original recording of “The Sound of Silence.”
From that recording, Simon and Garfunkel went on to become one of the best-selling musical groups of the 1960s. Garfunkel additionally starred in two Hollywood films — Catch 22 and Carnal Knowledge — but also worked as a mathematics teacher where he taught geometry to high school sophomores in Connecticut.
In 1973, Garfunkel released his first solo recording, Angel Clare, and followed that up with 1975’s Breakaway and 1977’s Watermark. During the 1980s and ’90s he recorded and performed intermittently. In the late 2000s, he began to experience issues with his vocal cords, but in 2014, resumed touring. His autobiography was published in 2017, and his latest work — a book of poetry — is slated to be released later in 2019.
Inside the State Theatre, the crowd applauds as Art Garfunkel takes the stage accompanied by guitarist Tab Laven and keyboardist Paul Beard.
Greeting the crowd, Garfunkel states, “This theater has very good sound — that’s why I keep coming back,” before going on to reveal that, tonight, he plans to share a sampling of poems he’s written over the years along with a selection of songs representing his musical career.
Opening with a live rendition of a 1966 Simon and Garfunkel recording which featured his angelic solo lead vocal, Garfunkel’s voice fills the theater with tenderness and artistry on “April Come She Will.” While he croons, Tad Laven’s guitar perfectly accompanies Garfunkel’s voice as Art paints a picture with melody, lyrics, and emotion.
Standing with his hand in his pocket, Garfunkel performs his Simon and Garfunkel hit from 1970, “The Boxer.” Delivering a calm and relaxed interpretation of this classic Paul Simon composition, the interplay between Garfunkel’s voice and Laven and Beard’s instrumentation creates an intertwining of musical lines of poetry. After Art communicates the message, “After changes upon changes we are more or less the same,” the audience heartily joins in on the ubiquitous “Lie la lie/Lie la lie la lie la lie” chorus as Garfunkel conducts.
The crowd responds with enthusiasm to this dynamic performance and Garfunkel follows up by reading a poem entitled, “Beau and the Globe,” a slice of family life in the form of a story about Art’s small son playing with a glass globe.
Next up is an original composition by Garfunkel entitled “Perfect Moment,” where he bares his soul through his lyrics, voice, and artistry. Embracing the audience with the message, “There we were/In a perfect moment/A perfect moment in time,” Garfunkel provides the crowd with a lovely musical experience and a touching musical moment to remember.
Launching into a medley of two solo hits, Garfunkel performs Jimmy Webb’s 1973 composition, “All I Know,” and follows it up with a rendition of his 1981 recording, “A Heart in New York,” on which Garfunkel smoothly croons, “New York/To that tall skyline I come/Flyin’ in from London to your door.”
Following avid applause, Garfunkel pokes fun at the news with a poem entitled “The Publicist.” Then, he performs Simon and Garfunkel’s “A Poem on the Underground Wall,” with an arrangement that features the beating of automated drums and expert fingerpicking from Tab Laven as the song continues to build in intensity.
While introducing “Scarborough Fair,” Garfunkel refers to a former love, actress Laurie Bird, saying, “This song is about loss. I lost Laurie Bird, and I still sing to her. I thought the song was about pretty things, but it’s really about loss.”
As he and his accompanists perform the traditional English ballad, harpsichord and guitar glitter in contrast to the muted line of Garfunkel’s heartfelt vocal interpretation. As the audience takes in the beautiful sound, the three musicians become one as they support each another on a poignant performance accompanied by rainbow-colored lights.
The audience cheers, and Garfunkel explains, “There is a countermelody which has been sitting there inside ‘Scarborough Fair’ all these years.” Here, he vocalizes that countermelody in the form of the Paul Simon-penned anti-war song, “The Side of a Hill,” singing, “On the side of a hill, a little cloud weeps/And waters the grave with its silent tears/While a soldier cleans and polishes a gun/That ended a life at the age of seven years.”
Following huge applause, he recites a personal poem entitled “Hampshire House,” which delves into Garfunkel’s feelings about commercial success. Then, he concludes Act I with a heartfelt rendition of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Homeward Bound.” Changing the lyric to “And each town looks the same to me/New Brunswick and the factories,” Garfunkel connects with the members of this Jersey crowd who stand to show their appreciation for this highlight performance.
After a short intermission, Garfunkel returns to the stage to sing the Gershwin classic, “Someone to Watch Over Me,” a number on which he is expertly accompanied by keyboardist Paul Beard.
Taking some time to chat with his fans in the crowd, Garfunkel talks about his five all-time favorite songwriters, listing them as “Paul Simon, Jimmy Webb, Stephen Sondheim, James Taylor, and Randy Newman.”
At this point, Garfunkel launches into Randy Newman’s “Real Emotional Girl,” a poignant number on which he sings, “For eighteen years she lived at home/She was Daddy’s little girl/And Daddy helped her move out on her own/She met a boy/He broke her heart/And now she lives alone.” During the performance, Beard intently watches Garfunkel, following his lead and skillfully accompanying him as the song builds in intensity all the way through to the coda.
“Authorship” is a Garfunkel poem which talks about how parents are the first role models for their children. Following its recitation, he performs the 1966 Simon and Garfunkel selection, “For Emily (Wherever She May Find Me),” where Laven’s guitar and Beard’s keyboard skills deftly support Garfunkel’s emotional vocal performance.
After sharing “Creatures” — a poem in which he reveals how, during his lifetime, he’s not only sung for people but for animals, too — Garfunkel performs the sweet and moving “Bright Eyes,” the theme from the animated film and television show, Watership Down. As Art sings to Laven’s guitar as if he is drawn instinctively to blend his voice with it, the addition of Beard’s keyboard adds its own counterpoint to the composition.
Exclaiming, “This is the tune that changed my whole damned life!” Garfunkel and Co. perform Simon and Garfunkel’s 1965 hit, “The Sound of Silence.” With the audience softly singing along, Garfunkel and his trio present a strong, pleading rendition which is accompanied by a percussion backup track until they reach the final “And the people bowed and prayed” verse. Here, the music is performed more slowly before Garfunkel dramatically turns his back to the audience vocalizing, “The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls.”
Following enthusiastic cheers and applause, Garfunkel introduces both of his on-stage musical colleagues before reciting a poem entitled “Royal Albert Hall,” a reflection about performing on what he refers to as “the greatest stage in the world.”
Despite prior issues with his voice, Garfunkel sounds as good as ever on a stunningly beautiful rendition of Simon and Garfunkel’s 1966 recording, “Kathy’s Song.” Singing, “And as I watch the drops of rain/Weave their weary paths and die/I know that I am like the rain/There but for the grace of you go I,” members of this New Brunswick audience can’t help but be visibly moved.
Acknowledging, “I love to sing that song — I always want to thank Paul for it,” Garfunkel launches into his final number of the evening, his interpretation of Simon and Garfunkel’s 1970 masterpiece, “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” With a new arrangement that he, Laven, and Beard present to the audience, the crowd cheers and responds with an enthusiastic standing ovation from the entire house.
Reacting, “This is a lovely gift — I’ve chased after goose bumps all my life,” Garfunkel continues by reciting a poem about thanks, “Lord Almighty,” before concluding with a poignant rendition of “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep,” during which he tenderly sings to his fans, “Good night, New Brunswick.”
As audience members make their way out of the auditorium, we take a moment to chat with several members of the crowd who share their opinions of tonight’s program with us.
First, we chat with Drake from Manalapan who recalls, “I was at the Simon and Garfunkel concert in Central Park in 1982. There was a such a mob scene of people there that I couldn’t get close enough to see the pair, but I could hear them.” Noting, “Art Garfunkel has done so many things over the course of his career, and he’s always had just the perfect voice, as a fan, it was great to get a chance to see him perform here live tonight.”
Next, we converse with friends Jamie and Stephanie from Monroe Township. Comments Jamie, “Art Garfunkel was amazing tonight! ‘The Sound of Silence’ was my favorite song, but I loved his poetry, too — I want to buy his book when it comes out.”
Jamie’s friend, Stephanie, agrees adding, “His performance tonight exceeded my expectations. When he opened with ‘April Come She Will,’ I just thought, ‘Wow!’” before acknowledging, “Jamie and I are best friends who both got into Simon and Garfunkel. We just saw Paul Simon in the fall, so I’m glad we’ve now seen both of these giants perform live in concert.”
Sarah from Sayreville declares, “Art Garfunkel’s performance tonight was incredible — really amazing! In my opinion, it was both fitting and moving.”
Naomi from Highland Park remarks, “I’m a long-time fan of Art Garfunkel. I especially loved his performance of ‘Kathy’s Song’ — it brought me back to a time when I used to play it on my record player.”
Continuing, “His voice has really held up,” Naomi notes, “I enjoyed his poetry, too — he really integrated his music and poetry very well.”
Lastly, we chat with Sharon from South Amboy who contends, “Art Garfunkel was awesome tonight! I am a long time fan of his. There’s such a closeness to his music, and every song he sang had a message.”
Acknowledging, “It sounded like he was singing just to me,” Sharon concludes by confessing, “He brought back so many memories, it brought me to tears.”
To learn more about Art Garfunkel, please go to artgarfunkel.com. For information on upcoming performances at State Theatre New Jersey — including Chicago on April 15, Joe Jackson on May 18, and the Happy Together Tour 2019 featuring The Turtles, Chuck Negron, Gary Puckett, The Buckinghams, The Classics IV, and The Cowsills on May 29 — please click on stnj.org.
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