Product Description
In May of 2007 the Library of Congress gathered an unprecedented group of musicians together in Washington, D.C., to honor Paul Simon as the first recipient of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Alison Krauss, Stevie Wonder, Lyle Lovett, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Marc Anthony, Art Garfunkel and a host of others joined Paul onstage in a multicultural tribute to the music of a great American artist and a great American art form.

This gala event, called "the greatest night of popular music ever presented in our nation's capital," was beautifully filmed and captured with stunning 5.1 Surround Sound for a truly pure concert experience.

Performances:
Introduction - Bob Costas
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover - Lyle Lovett
The Boxer - Alison Krauss, Shawn Colvin and Jerry Douglas
Mother And Child Reunion - Stephen Marley
Under African Skies - Miriam Makeba and Paul Simon
clip from Paul Simon Graceland: The African Concert (Zimbabwe, 1987)
Homeless - Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Mrs. Robinson - Paul Simon
clip from Yankee Stadium tribute to Joe DiMaggio (April 25, 1999)
Slip Slidin' Away - James Taylor and the Dixie Hummingbirds
Sunday Morning With The Sensational Nightingales (poem) - Billy Collins and the Dixie Hummingbirds
That Was Your Mother - Buckwheat Zydeco and Lyle Lovett
Homeward Bound - Paul Simon and George Harrison clip from Saturday Night Live (November 20, 1976)
Still Crazy After All These Years - James Taylor
El Condor Pasa - Marc Anthony
Late In The Evening - Marc Anthony
Gone At Last - Yolanda Adams and Jessy Dixon
Something So Right - Dianne Reeves
The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) - The Muppets (Grover and Elmo)
Graceland - Alison Krauss and Jerry Douglas
Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes - Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel
Father And Daughter - Paul Simon
Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard - Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder
Loves Me Like A Rock - Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder with the Dixie Hummingbirds
Sounds Of Silence - Philip Glass

DVD (May 19, 2009):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001V732VU/?tag=imwan-20

Blu-ray (Jun 02, 2009):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0024RI6U8/?tag=imwan-20

Bump: added Blu-ray pre-order link to the first post.

I saw this on PBS. Simon is one of the great songwriters in American history, very much in the same league as Gershwin. There are some terrific performances, too. Alison Kraus's "Graceland" with Jerry Douglas on dobro is a terrific reinterpretation. And Elmo and Grover do a great job with "59th Street Bridge" -- Grover: "Is it over all ready? What a short song!" Elmo: "Elmo always heard Paul Simon was a short song writer." (Some less successful stuff, too: Dianne Reeves, Philip Glass.)

Simon's ego was hugely evident as he sang the second verse of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" himself, forcing a key change. I remember an interview where he said when he heard the applause for Garfunkel sang it, he was angry that no one called "Author! Author!" So now he makes sure he sings a verse himself to get his credit. Geeze.