The Rhythm of the Saints

by Paul Simon

Overview

Though he recorded the album's prominent percussion tracks in Brazil, Paul Simon fashioned The Rhythm of the Saints as a deliberate follow-up to the artistic breakthrough and commercial comeback that was the South Africa-tinged Graceland. Several of the musicians who had appeared previously were back, along with some of the New York session players who had worked with Simon in the 1970s, and the overall sound was familiar to fans of Graceland. Further, Simon's nonlinear lyrical approach was carried over: he continued to ruminate about love, aging, and the onslaught of modern life in disconnected phrases and images that created impressions rather than telling straightforward stories. But where Graceland had seamlessly merged its styles into an exuberant whole, The Rhythm of the Saints was less well digested. Those drum tracks never seemed integrated effectively into what had been dubbed over them; at the same time, they tended to lock the songs into musical patterns that reined them in from the kind of excitement the South African music on Graceland generated, making the melodies harder to grasp. Simon also sang his lyrics in a less involved way, which sometimes made them seem like collections of random lines rather than the series of striking observations Graceland seemed to contain. No Paul Simon album could be lacking in craft or quality, and The Rhythm of the Saints was a typically tasteful effort. But this time around, Simon hadn't quite succeeded in bringing the wide-ranging elements together; the album sold about half as many copies as Graceland (that is to say, a none-too-shabby two million), and that's about right -- where Graceland was an adventure, The Rhythm of the Saints was more of an anthropology lesson. ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	08/31/2018
Label:	Legacy / Sony Music
UPC:	0190758351216

Tracks

1. The Obvious Child
2. Can't Run But
3. The Coast
4. Proof
5. Further to Fly
6. She Moves On
7. Born at the Right Time
8. The Cool, Cool River
9. Spirit Voices
10. The Rhythm of the Saints

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Paul Simon   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Uakti   Guest Artist,Percussion
Kim Wilson   Guest Artist,Harmonica
Adrian Belew   Guest Artist,Guitar,Synthesizer,Guitar (Synthesizer)
Hugh Masekela   Guest Artist,Flugelhorn
Nana Vasconcelos   Guest Artist,Gourd,Congas,Vocals,Berimbau,Triangle,Percussion
Randy Brecker   Guest Artist,Trumpet,Synthesizer,Piccolo Trumpet
Michael Brecker   Guest Artist,EWI,Saxophone,Percussion,Synthesizer
J.J. Cale   Guest Artist,Guitar,Percussion
Milton Nascimento   Guest Artist,Vocals
Andre Manga   Bass
Paulo Sergio Santos   Chicote
Steve Gadd   Drums
Bakithi Kumalo   Bass
Kia Jeffries   Vocals (Background)
Jacques Bolognesi   Trombone
Ladysmith Black Mambazo   Vocals (Background)
Alain Hatot   Saxophone
Greg Phillinganes   Keyboards,Synthesizer
Clifton Anderson   Trombone
Vincent Nguini   Bass,Claves,Guitar,Clavinet
Francisco Aguabella   Congas
Rigo Star   Guitar
Ringo Starr   Guitar
Jerry Douglas   Dobro
Sidinho   Sordu,Bongos,Bottle,Congas,Percussion,Tambourine,Water Bowl,Drums (Bass)
Karen Bernod   Vocals (Background)
Armandinho   Guitar,Electronic Mandolin
C.J. Chenier   Accordion
Grupo Cultural Olodum   Drums
Giovanni Hidalgo   Congas
Gordinho   Sordu
Wilson das Neves   Cowbell,Percussion
Anthony Carrillo   Bongos
Armand Sabal-Lecco   Bass
Asante   Drums,Percussion
Dave Bargeron   Horn,Euphonium
Marco Antonio Guimaraes   Percussion
Paul Santos   Percussion
Mazzola   Chicote,Percussion
Raphael Rabello   Guitar
Ray Phiri   Guitar
Remi Kabaka   Percussion
Don Chacal   Bata,Gourd,Bongos,Congas
Errol Ince   Trumpet
Decio Ramos   Percussion
Florence Gnimagnon   Vocals (Background)
Grupo Cultural   Drums
Martin Atangana   Guitar (Electric)
Pedro Sorongo   Scraper,Percussion
Jorginho   Percussion
Djana'd   Vocals (Background)
Clyde Mitchell   Trumpet
Phillipe Slominski   Trumpet
Myrna Lynn Gomila   Vocals (Background)
Felix Sabal-Lecco   Drums
Paulinho Santos   Percussion
Beloba   Percussion
Kofi Electrik   Guitar
Paulo Santos   Chicote
Joao Severo da Silva   Accordion
Charlotte Mbango   Vocals (Background)
Briz   Vocals (Background)
George Seba   Guitar (Electric)
Antonio Luis Alves de Souza   Director
Charles Doherty   Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor)
Isaak Asante   Percussion
Rafael Rabello   Guitar (Classical)
Madeleine Yayodele Nelson   Chekere
Jude Bethel   Sax (Tenor)
Tommy Bilson Ogoe   Guitar
Justin Tchounou   Synthesizer
Remy Kabocka   Drums,Talking Drum
Marcalzinho   Percussion
Yo Yo De La Nelson   Chakeire
Jorge Ferreira da Silva   Percussion
Canegal   Percussion
Elolongue Mbango Catherine   Vocals (Background)
Mingo Araujo   Bells,Drums,Sordu,Congas,Shaker,Cymbals,Triangle,Casinette,Castanets,Go Go Bell,Percussion,Drums (Bass),Talking Drum,African Bells
Jimmy McDonald   Accordion
Sidinho Moreira   Drums,Bongos,Bottle,Congas,Water Bowl
Anthony Carillo   Bongos
Georges Seba   Guitar (Electric)
Armando Macedo   Baiano,Guitar
Arthur Andres   Percussion
Dom Chacal   Bata,Gourd,Bongos,Congas

Technical Credits

Paul Simon   Audio Production,Arranger,Composer,Lyricist,Producer,Horn Arrangements,Guitar Arrangements
Roy Halee   Audio Engineer,Engineer
Vincent Nguini   Arranger,Composer,Horn Arrangements,Guitar Arrangements
Greg Calbi   Mastering
Uakti   Effects
Phil Ramone   Recording Supervision
Milton Nascimento   Composer,Lyricist
Wilson das Neves   Effects
Marco Antonio Guimaraes   Effects,Arranger
Richard Travali   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Mazzola   Arranger
Ray Phiri   Arranger,Guitar Arrangements
Bruce Keen   Engineer
Danny Harrison   Coordination
Decio Ramos   Effects
Bruno Barbey   Photography
Martin Atangana   Arranger,Guitar Arrangements
Pedro Sorongo   Effects
Paulinho Santos   Effects
Yolanda Cuomo   Design,Art Direction
Sylvia Plachy   Photography
Beloba   Effects
Lizzie Bravo   Translation,Lyric Translation
Kofi Electrik   Arranger,Guitar Arrangements
Miguel Rio Branco   Photography
Antonio Luis Alves de Souza   Direction
Marc Silag   Coordination
Mequinho   Engineer
Marcalzinho   Effects
Canegal   Effects
Georges Seba   Arranger,Guitar Arrangements
Arthur Andres   Effects