Paul Simon News

The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street), Times Square's landmark concert venue, is pleased to present award-winning and Grammy-nominated fiddler Natalie MacMaster on Saturday, March 14 at 8:00PM. Tickets are on sale now for $50 and $45. All tickets for The Town Hall shows are available through TicketMaster, 212-307-4100, or www.ticketmaster.com, or by visiting The Town Hall Box Office between noon and 6PM (except Sundays) at 123 West 43rd Street, 212-840-2824.

The induction and awards dinner is scheduled for Thursday, June 18 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Special award honorees will be announced at a later date.

Barb Jungr, the iconoclastic British song stylist, will make her Caf? Carlyle debut in an exclusive three-week engagement. Beginning Wednesday, March 11th (and playing through March 28th), Ms. Jungr, who earned Time Out New York's 'Best of the Year' honors for her two Manhattan engagements in 2008 and whom The New York Times calls 'a complete entertainer,' moves uptown to premiere a brand new show, The Men I Love.

Although it has been 35 years since Bridge Over Troubled Water was recorded, Art Garfunkel's image and signature vocal remain among the most instantly recognizable in popular music. Experience this unique vocal talent for yourself when An Evening with Art Garfunkel comes to the St. George Theatre in Staten Island on Saturday, March 21st.

BMI will name preeminent production and songwriting team Gamble & Huff BMI Icons at its 57th annual Pop Awards, slated for Tuesday, May 19 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. Hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and BMI Vice President & General Manager, Writer/Publisher Relations, Los Angeles, Barbara Cane, the invitation-only event will also honor the songwriters and publishers of the past year's most-performed pop songs in the United States. The evening's commendations will culminate with an all-star musical tribute to Gamble & Huff.

Michael Martinez is proud to present An Evening of Music and Comedy V at Don't Tell Mama. This showcase and variety show will feature singer/songwriter Matt Hurd, singer/songwriter Paige Nichols, singer Maria Noe, and standup comic and singer Danielle Trzcinski. Comedian / actor Robert Brehm will be the special guest host. Producer Michael Martinez has previously presented showcases at Don't Tell Mama and several other New York City clubs. These showcases highlight emerging stars in comedy, music, and musical theater. Showtime is 7:00 pm, door opens at 6:30pm. Admission is $15.00, plus a two drink minimum. For reservations call Don't Tell Mama at 212-757-0788. Based just outside of NYC on Long Island, Matt Hurd writes and performs his catchy acoustic pop tunes about everything from love to loss. With strong influences from classic icons like Van Morrison and Paul Simon all the way to contemporary artists ranging from the likes of John Mayer to Kanye West, Matt's sound and style has been compared to the music of Jack Johnson and Matt Nathanson. He has a charming stage presence rooted in a strong performance and a subtle wit, which helps fans of all kinds of music enjoy listening to him. Although young, Matt has the charisma and appeal of a seasoned performer. Recently, Matt has played at a variety of NYC venues and also appeared as a guest on the Joey Reynolds Show. www.myspace.com/matthurdmusic Maria Noe (marianoe.com) is a junior at Bowling Green State University studying music and business. Maria has most recently performed a cabaret featuring Maury Yeston's songcycle December Songs. Past shows include Crazy For You, Me & My Girl, How To Succeed..., Carousel, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Beauty and the Beast, as well as productions affiliated with Cedar Fair Entertainment Company and American Entertainment Productions.

Sony Holland will be at the Osher Jewish Community Center, 200 N. San Pedro Rd. San Rafael, Ca on Saturday, February 21 @ 8pm For tickets please call 415-444-8000 or for more information go to www.marinjcc.org Sony Holland is a singer who knows her way around the standards! With a style that is once sophisticated and emotionally direct, her interpretations of the great American songbook show a deep respect and love for the material while adding an unmistakable spark of personality. Sony and her jazz combo perform songs from favorite Jewish composers including Irving Berlin, Paul Simon, and Bob Dylan.

ERIC COMSTOCK & BARBARA FASANO, the popular husband and wife team whose recent individual CDs earned them equal respect in both the pop and jazz worlds, will present their first joint extended New York engagement at The Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, NYC from March 3rd through March 15th. The evening, called 'WRAP YOUR TROUBLES IN DREAMS' celebrates the inspiration, strength and wit of our unique American songs to move us through these changing times. Accompanied by a rhythm section, Barbara and Eric will perform songs by Laura Nyro, Richard Whiting, Harry Warren, Paul Simon, Arthur Schwartz, Dorothy Fields and Oscar Brown, Jr. among others.

Although it has been 35 years since 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' was recorded, Art Garfunkel's image and signature vocal remain among the most instantly recognizable in popular music. His 'beautiful countertenor,' as Neil Strauss described Art's voice in The New York Times, is clear and resonant, surely one of the finest instruments in all of popular music, and a time-honored friend to a world of listeners. Art collaborated with childhood friend Paul Simon, and they started performing as Simon & Garfunkel at the height of the folk music boom in late-1963. Within a year they were signed to Columbia Records, who paired them with producer/engineer Roy Halee. Simon & Garfunkel maintained a tireless pace in the recording studio and on the road, reaching a wide and loyal international audience.

Sony Holland will be at the Osher Jewish Community Center, 200 N. San Pedro Rd. San Rafael, Ca on Saturday, February 21 @ 8pm For tickets please call 415-444-8000 or for more information go to www.marinjcc.org Sony Holland is a singer who knows her way around the standards! With a style that is once sophisticated and emotionally direct, her interpretations of the great American songbook show a deep respect and love for the material while adding an unmistakable spark of personality. Sony and her jazz combo perform songs from favorite Jewish composers including Irving Berlin, Paul Simon, and Bob Dylan.

From Los Angeles to Kansas City, from the Sundance Film Festival to the New York Times bestseller list, rave reviews continue to pile up for projects born at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. With its commitment to innovation and excellence ? and its connection to respected artists such as Carrie Fisher, Danny Hoch, Spike Lee, Sarah Ruhl, and Mary Zimmerman ? the Tony Award-winning theatre is attracting international attention.

Credited as one of the best voices of all time to emerge from Africa, Vusi Mahlasela shares his musical artistry in the opening performance of his 2009 national tour at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, February 7 at 8 p.m. This performance is part of the planet Ordway Target World Music series. Sung in six different languages, Mahlasela's music recalls an Apartheid-scarred South Africa while rejoicing in the promise of a better future. He has expressed these sentiments of hope in his many recordings and artistic collaborations with renowned musicians Dave Matthews (who credits Mahlasela as being 'one of the most important influences in my life'), Ladysmith Black Mombazo, Xavier Rudd and Paul Simon. Mahlasela describes his artistic role as a blend of guitarist, percussionist, poet, composer, arranger, bandleader and performer. After touring intensely around the globe for years, Mahlasela still takes time away from these roles and devotes his gifts to critical social causes. Serving as an ambassador to Nelson Mandela's 46664 Foundation, Mahlasela works passionately to raise awareness of global aids and HIV.

The British singing sensation Barb Jungr, who just earned Time Out NY's Best of the Year honors for her two Metropolitan Room shows in 2008, is moving uptown to the Caf? Carlyle at the Carlyle Hotel where she premieres a brand new act from March 11 to 28. In 'The Men I Love' Jungr promises to reach beyond our common assumptions about the male species to appreciate the surprises of men and manhood while marveling at the astonishing topographic variety of what she calls 'the male terrain.' The composers and songwriters she's drawing her inspiration from are a diverse lot. She and her New York music director Charlie Giordano are constructing a show with songs by Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Iggy Pop, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and Harry Nilsson among others. All the songs in the show Jungr has not heretofore performed in New York. Playing for three weeks 'The Men I Love' is Ms. Jungr's fifth New York engagement since debuting at the Metropolitan Room in January 2007. It's here that she has emerged as one of this town's most original and forceful singer-entertainers. In his New York Times assessment of Jungr's artistry at the time, Stephen Holden said, 'She is a gregarious stage personality with a comic streak in the tradition of the English music hall (...) She is a wonderful comic storyteller too. A typical show is a series of emotional hairpin turns with spontaneous patter that can break you up laughing. In the next moment you may find yourself choking back tears.' He also calls her 'a complete entertainer.'

Michael Martinez is proud to present An Evening of Music and Comedy V at Don't Tell Mama. This showcase and variety show will feature singer/songwriter Matt Hurd, singer/songwriter Paige Nichols, singer Maria Noe, and standup comic and singer Danielle Trzcinski. Comedian / actor Robert Brehm will be the special guest host. Producer Michael Martinez has previously presented showcases at Don't Tell Mama and several other New York City clubs. These showcases highlight emerging stars in comedy, music, and musical theater. Showtime is 7:00 pm, door opens at 6:30pm. Admission is $15.00, plus a two drink minimum. For reservations call Don't Tell Mama at 212-757-0788. Based just outside of NYC on Long Island, Matt Hurd writes and performs his catchy acoustic pop tunes about everything from love to loss. With strong influences from classic icons like Van Morrison and Paul Simon all the way to contemporary artists ranging from the likes of John Mayer to Kanye West, Matt's sound and style has been compared to the music of Jack Johnson and Matt Nathanson. He has a charming stage presence rooted in a strong performance and a subtle wit, which helps fans of all kinds of music enjoy listening to him. Although young, Matt has the charisma and appeal of a seasoned performer. Recently, Matt has played at a variety of NYC venues and also appeared as a guest on the Joey Reynolds Show. www.myspace.com/matthurdmusic Maria Noe (marianoe.com) is a junior at Bowling Green State University studying music and business. Maria has most recently performed a cabaret featuring Maury Yeston's songcycle December Songs. Past shows include Crazy For You, Me & My Girl, How To Succeed..., Carousel, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Beauty and the Beast, as well as productions affiliated with Cedar Fair Entertainment Company and American Entertainment Productions.

Broadway in Concert! at The Canyon, the all new Wednesday night series of intimate concerts headlined by the best of Broadway musical theatre stars and Nightclub artists opening January 7, 2009 at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, CA, has added longtime LA musical theatre star Steve Gideon to its opening month roster - it was announced today by Canyon Club Managing Partner Lance Sterling and Producer Michael Sterling of Michael Sterling & Associates in Los Angeles.

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed 'Best of New York' by New York Magazine and 'an invaluable New York institution' by The New York Post, will continue its 10th Anniversary season with the debut engagement of acclaimed jazz singer JANE MONHEIT. Her new show - which celebrates the release of her new Concord Records CD 'The Lovers, The Dreamers and Me' - runs from January 20 to February 7 at the Regency Hotel (540 Park Avenue at 61st Street).

Hi, I'm on my way to meet up with Tom Hulce - actor and Broadway producer. Seven years ago he came back from a trip in the UK with the same idea as composer friend Duncan Sheik; to bring to life the Frank Wedekind classic 'Spring Awakening' Years of work and collaborations with the right like minded creatives have brought this unique show to life. With a string of Tony awards to prove its success and endorse its popularity the show comes to London opening on January 23rd at the small but progressive Lyric Theatre. I am waiting for Tom to call on his way back from rehearsals where casting is underway when Mandy Patinkin comes on the text, unable to speak but happy to answer questions. His performances have turned into real phenomena here with sold out shows and a legion of now growing fans eager to see him return.

Credited as one of the best voices of all time to emerge from Africa, Vusi Mahlasela shares his musical artistry in the opening performance of his 2009 national tour at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, February 7 at 8 p.m. This performance is part of the planet Ordway Target World Music series. Sung in six different languages, Mahlasela's music recalls an Apartheid-scarred South Africa while rejoicing in the promise of a better future. He has expressed these sentiments of hope in his many recordings and artistic collaborations with renowned musicians Dave Matthews (who credits Mahlasela as being 'one of the most important influences in my life'), Ladysmith Black Mombazo, Xavier Rudd and Paul Simon. Mahlasela describes his artistic role as a blend of guitarist, percussionist, poet, composer, arranger, bandleader and performer. After touring intensely around the globe for years, Mahlasela still takes time away from these roles and devotes his gifts to critical social causes. Serving as an ambassador to Nelson Mandela's 46664 Foundation, Mahlasela works passionately to raise awareness of global aids and HIV.

Variety reports that following a seven-month, $15 million renovation, Gotham's Beacon Theater will reopen with a pair of Paul Simon concerts on Feb. 13 and 14.The 2,800-seat, Upper West Side showcase, which Cablevision's MSG Entertainment acquired in November 2006, originally opened in 1929. Designed by Chicago architect Walter Ahlschlager, it had been used for opera, films, vaudeville and theatrical productions. In 1979 it received landmark designation, and it has functioned primarily as a concert venue since the late 1980s.

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook returns in January for its eleventh season celebrating the diversity of American popular song. For 17 nights of pop, folk, cabaret, R&B, country, rock, show tunes, bluegrass and multimedia, the series will explore the best of the golden age of musical standards through to today's most dynamic contemporary songwriting. The 2009 season - January 14 through March 6 - will bring to the stage some of today's most gifted interpreters of song, including top vocalist Kurt Elling and country's winning Patty Loveless. It will feature the rare opportunity to hear Paulo Szot, star of Broadway's South Pacific, and film and stage star Alan Cumming, in intimate concert settings.