Art Garfunkel at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Art Garfunkel, half of one of the most iconic musical duos of all time, Simon and Garfunkel, performed at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts Saturday, Jan. 11. Before Garfunkel took the stage, his 29-year-old son James "Arthur Jr" took the stage with his father's keyboardist and guitarist. Garfunkel took the stage after and said: "He's got the voice but I got the hits." Although it's been 50-years since Simon and Garfunkel parted ways initially and released Bridge Over Troubled Water, their music remains very popular to this day. Between 1970 and 2010 Simon and Garfunkel reunited for a few one-off shows and tours with the most famous one being “The Concert in Central Park.”  The pair was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2003). Post Simon and Garfunkel, Garfunkel had a successful solo career releasing 10 albums and over 25 singles.

In 2010, Garfunkel was diagnosed with vocal cord paresis after performing with Simon at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and their remaining dates were postponed indefinitely. Over the next four years, Garfunkel began recovering and started to tour again.

Garfunkel is both an avid walker and reader having read over 1000 books (listed on his website). Back in the early 80’s, he trekked across Japan and over four years (1983-87) walked across the US from Washington to New York. Ten years after releasing his last album, Garfunkel released an autobiography. Throughout the show, Garfunkel read questions and thoughts he had written while on tour around the world over the years.

Garfunkel performed classics like “The Boxer,” “Homeward Bound” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Arthur Jr. sang an incredible cover of Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile” as well as a father and son duo—they sang The Everly Brothers “Devoted to You,” and “Let It Be Me.”  The show was broken into two sets with a total of 19 songs.

Later in the show, Garfunkel discussed some of the historic venues he's played around the world from the Sydney Opera House to the Royal Albert Hall and made a comparison to Segerstrom with its multiple levels of seats.

SETLIST

1. Wednesday Morning 3 A.M.- Simon and Garfunkel (Arthur Jr.)

2. The Boxer- Simon and Garfunkel

3. Perfect Moment

Hampshire House (Poem)

4. All I Know/ A Heart In New York

5. Smile-  Charlie Chaplin (Arthur Jr.)

6. A Poem On the Underground Wall- Simon and Garfunkel

7. Scarborough Fair- Traditional English Ballad

8. The Side of A Hill- Paul Simon

The Publicist (Poem)

9. Homeward Bound- Simon and Garfunkel

Set 2

1. April

2. Real Emotional Girl- Randy Newman

3. That’s Amore- Dean Martin (Art Jr.)

4. Devoted To You- The Everly Brothers (Duet)

Authorship (Poem)

5. For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her- Simon and Garfunkel

Creatures (Poem)

6. Bright Eyes- Mike Batt

The Funeral/Roaches (Poem)

7. Sounds of Silence- Simon and Garfunkel

Encore

8. Let it Be Me- Duet

Royal Albert Hall

9. Kathy’s Song- Paul Simon

Lord Almighty (poem)

10. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep- 18th-century children’s bedtime prayer