Paul Simon & Friends

On May 23, 2007, the Library of Congress collected a very PBS-centric group of celebrities in Washington, DC to honour Paul Simon as he received the first Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. This DVD combines performances from a roster of artists such as James Taylor, Alison Krauss, Marc Anthony, Lyle Lovett, Buckwheat Zydeco, Stephen Marley and Grover and Elmo with clips of some rather famous Simon moments, including the Graceland performance in Zimbabwe and his tribute to Joe DiMaggio at the old Yankee Stadium. 2009 Gershwin Prize recipient Stevie Wonder's soulful rendition of the nominally playful "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard," along with Simon's moving performance of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" with Art Garfunkel, and Philip Glass's near-masterful closing interpretation of "Sounds of Silence" stand as highlights. This is a rather unceremonious nod to a performer who has donned more masks than any contracted tribute concert can portray.