Paul Simon Songs From The Capeman CD

This is a collection of songs written by Paul Simon and Derek Walcott for their Broadway Musical, "The Capeman."
Personnel includes: Paul Simon (vocals, acoustic & hi string guitars); Ruben Blades, Marc Anthony, Ednita Nazario, Frank Negron, Myrna Gomila, Teana Rodriguez, Sara Ramirez (vocals); Arlen Roth (acoustic & electric guitars); Vincent Nguini, Steve Cropper (guitar); Oriente Lopez (flute, Fender Rhodes piano, organ); David Rodriguez, Ray Vega (trumpet); Oscar Hernadez (piano, celeste, synthesizer, vibraphone, glockenspiel); John Beal (bass); Robby Ameen, Richard Crooks (drums); Milton Cardona (congas, bongos, maracas, clave, guira); Marc Quinones (timbales, congas, cua); Bobby Allende (bongos, cymbal, bell tree); Briz, Myrna Gomila, Karen Gernod, Renee Connell-Adams, DeWayne Snype, Kia Jeffries, Ed Vasquez, Derrick James, Danny Rivera (background vocals).
Recorded at The Hit Factory, New York, New York.
Personnel: Paul Simon (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, background vocals); Teana Rodriguez, Myrna Lynn Gomila (vocals, background vocals); Danny Rivera, Ednita Nazario, Marc Anthony, Rubén Blades, Sara Ramirez (vocals); Arlen Roth (guitar, acoustic guitar); Harper Simon (guitar, harmonica); Robert Ameen (guitar, drums); Paul Livant, Wallace Richardson, Steve Cropper, Vincent Nguini (guitar); Saturnino Laboy, Diomedes Matos (acoustic guitar); Edgardo Miranda (cuatro); Nelson Gonzalez (tres); Krista Bennion Feeney, Paul Peabody (violin); Juliet Haffner (viola); Laura Bontrager (cello); Oriente Lopez (flute, Fender Rhodes piano, organ); Michael Ramos (accordion); Pablo Calogero (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Marcia Butler (oboe); Bob Franceschini (soprano saxophone); David Mann (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Bill Holloman (tenor saxophone, trumpet); Chris Eminizer, Mitch Frohman (tenor saxophone); David "Piro" Rodríguez, John Walsh, Ray Vega (trumpet); Barry Danielian (flugelhorn); Stewart Rose (French horn); Ozzie Melendez (trombone); Oscar Hernandez (piano, celesta, synthesizer, vibraphone, glockenspiel); Horace Ott, Paul Griffin (piano); Milton Cardona (marimba, congas, claves, background vocals); Bernie Minoso (bass guitar); Richard Crooks, Shannon Ford (drums); Jimmy Sabater (congas, cowbells); Marc Quiñones (congas, timbales); Edwin Montalve (congas); Pablo Nunez (bongos, cowbells); Bobby Allende (bongos, cymbals); Crusher Bennett (shaker); Johnny Andrews (timbales); Angelo Aponte, David Davila, Renee Connell-Adams, Ed Vasquez, Hechter Ubarry, Sean Pulley, Derrick James, Briz, DeWayne Snype, Bobby Bright, Dionte Sutton, Hans Giraldo, Trent Sutton, Luis Marrero, Robert Vargas, Edgar Stewart, Kevin Harrison, Karen Bernod, Kia Jeffries, Nestor Sanchez, Angel Ramirez, Jr., Ray de la Paz (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Andy Smith.
Liner Note Author: Paul Simon.
Recording information: Hit Factory, New York, NY.
Illustrator: Bob Crowley.
Photographers: Sigrid Nama; Nitin Vadukul.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Ednita Nazario; Luis Lopez ; Marc Anthony; Marc Quiñones; Paul Simon; Rubén Blades.
During the production of The Rhythm of the Saints, Paul Simon latched upon the idea of turning the story of Salvador Agron -- a '50s Puerto Rican hoodlum nicknamed the Capeman -- into a musical. (Agron was convicted of stabbing two kids to death during a New York street fight; during his prison term, he educated himself and turned into a poet and activist.) Collaborating with poet Derek Walcott on the lyrics and book, Simon worked on the musical for seven years, writing a set of songs that evoked doo wop, '50s rock & roll, and Puerto Rican music. A few months before the Broadway premiere of The Capeman, Simon -- who was not performing in the musical -- released Songs from The Capeman, an album that functioned as a calling card for the play. The record suggests what a complex and ambitious musical The Capeman may be, but it doesn't succeed on its own terms. Simon's songs have the narrative drivRolling Stone (11/27/97, pp.106-107) - 4 Stars (out of 5) - "...terrifically satisfying. Simon has found a surprisingly effective musical voice--intermingling doo-wop, traditional Latin styles and art-song sophistication..."
Entertainment Weekly (11/21/97, p.131) - "...it's a complex and subtly exuberant piece of work....For all its Eisenhower-era harmonizing and crime-story characters, SONGS FROM THE CAPEMAN ultimately feels like an old-fangled Paul Simon album, which may be its most endearing quality..."
- Rating: A-