Legacy Recordings is seeing that the only sound isn't silence with the release this summer of two new projects from Simon and Garfunkel. In less than a month, on August 7, the label will issue Simon & Garfunkel - The Complete Columbia Albums Collection, a six-album, newly-remastered set featuring each one of the duo's studio albums plus Greatest Hits, all pressed on 180-gram vinyl. The box will be joined by a new, remastered CD/DVD reissue of The Concert in Central Park, as well as a 12-inch, 180-gram audiophile vinyl pressing of the album.
The Complete Columbia Albums Collection follows the similarly-titled The Complete Albums Collection which was released by Legacy on CD late last year. Whereas the CD edition included the soundtrack to The Graduate as well as four live releases (including Concert in Central Park), the vinyl box has Simon and Garfunkel's core Columbia repertoire only, from 1964's Wednesday Morning 3 A.M. through 1970's Bridge Over Troubled Water, plus 1972's Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits. The set boasts a 20-page booklet and photo poster, and everything is housed in a sturdy, library-style box.
The double-album The Concert in Central Park, originally released on Warner Bros. Records, preserved the legendary free evening held on September 19, 1981 at Central Park's Great Lawn. Playing for roughly half a million attendees, Paul and Art were joined by an 11-person ensemble including notable Pete Carr (guitar), Anthony Jackson (bass), Richard Tee (piano), Rob Mounsey (synthesizers) and Steve Gadd (drums). The set list comprised the expected Simon and Garfunkel favorites, beginning with the opening "Mrs. Robinson," as well as selections from Paul's solo catalogue ("Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard," "American Tune," "Still Crazy After All These Years," "Late in the Evening," "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover") and Art's ("A Heart in New York"). The album excised the performance of Simon's "The Late Great Johnny Ace" interrupted by a likely inebriated spectator, and a reprise of "Late in the Evening." Upon its original release, The Concert in Central Park became a Top 10 album and has since been certified multi-platinum. PBS will be airing the concert film this August.
The vinyl Complete Columbia Albums Collection as well as the CD/DVD combo package and vinyl LP remaster of The Concert in Central Park arrive from Legacy Recordings on August 7. You can pre-order below!
Simon and Garfunkel, The Complete Columbia Albums Collection Vinyl Box Set (Columbia/Legacy) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
Box Set includes:
- Wednesday Morning, 3.A.M. (originally released October 19, 1964, Columbia Records)
- Sounds Of Silence (originally released January 17, 1966, Columbia Records)
- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme (originally released October 10, 1966, Columbia Records)
- Bookends (originally released April 3, 1968, Columbia Records)
- Bridge Over Troubled Water (originally released January 26, 1970, Columbia Records)
- Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits (originally released June 14, 1972, Columbia Records)
Simon and Garfunkel, The Concert for Central Park (Legacy)
CD/DVD Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
180-Gram Vinyl LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
- Mrs. Robinson
- Homeward Bound
- America
- Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
- Scarborough Fair
- April Come She Will
- Wake Up Little Susie
- Still Crazy After All These Years
- American Tune
- Late in the Evening
- Slip Slidin' Away
- A Heart in New York
- The Late Great Johnny Ace (DVD Only)
- Kodachrome/Maybellene
- Bridge Over Troubled Water
- 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
- The Boxer
- Old Friends/Bookends Theme
- The 59th Street Bridge Song
- The Sound of Silence
- Late in the Evening (Reprise) (DVD Only)
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I've always wondered why other than A Heart In New York, no solo hits by Art were included in the set list for the Concert In Central Park. All I Know and I Only Have Eyes For You would have been nice. Paul's solo career was well represented. I am looking forward to these releases.
I'm not sure what "newly-remastered" means here. Newly remastered with respect to last year's newly remastered CD box? Newly remasterd from analogue? It's getting a bit tiresome to figure out what is really going on with these first-on-CD-then-on-vinyl reissues, beside the obvious goal of squeezing every penny from the fans...
Besides, the "remastered" Concert in Central park CD/DVD seems to confirm my impression upon listening to the CD Box and reading its credits, that is the Concert had NOT been remastered for the CD Box... Jeez...
Hmm... Still no Johnny Ace or Late reprise on the CD (I realize that's to keep it to a aingle disc). And there's nothing new to add to the DVD.
Not really sure what the remastering will add to the CD. The one I've had for ages sounds just fine to me. No need to replace anything here.
Glad to see the site's back up though!
So will the Central Park CD include all the dialogue that was cut from the 2-LP version? And why can't they include the two missing songs on CD that alwas have been part of the DVD/VHS? I guess it will come ut as an "ultimate edition 40 anniversary" in 2021...
By the way, Art re-recorded most of his vocals in the studio for the Central Park Concert, since he was dissatisfied with his performance. So he had to mime to the film footage.