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By Brittany Herren
With a career spanning over seven decades, from his folk-rock duo Simon and Garfunkel to the launch of his highly successful solo career, Paul Simon is one of the most influential singer songwriters of all time. From classics such as the hauntingly beautiful “Sounds of Silence” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” which has been covered by fellow superstars like Dolly Parton, Simon is credited with influencing most all folk-rock acts that followed. This is true for even Savannah’s musicians of the same genre, who have banded together to produce a show honoring his ongoing legacy.
Homeward Bound: A Savannah Salute to the Music of Paul Simon is coming to Victory North on Friday, Aug. 30. The show, presented by Cockspur Productions and featuring Matt EckStine and the Eric Jones Trio, will feature a 9-piece band and 20 songs from Simon’s extensive catalog of music from his time with Art Garfunkel, as well his solo career.
“This is the first show featuring this particular group of musicians all together,” said Eckstine, who is the well-known frontman of The Accomplices Band.
The all-star cast of local talent includes Eckstine, the show’s musical director and bass player Marc Chesanow, Eric Jones on keys, Robert Saunders on drums, Evan Rose on guitar, mandolin and vocals, lead guitarist Ben Keiser, saxophonist Calvin Barnes, Kirk Lee on trumpet and Billy Hoffman on percussion. Special guests include vocalists Trae Gurley and Rebecca Flaherty. The seed for the concept of this show, which is not so much a tribute as it is a salute since Simon is very much alive and touring, was planted back in 2016 when Eckstine and Chesanow first met.
“I heard Marc playing after he just moved to town and I thought, wow, this guy sounds great,” Eckstine recalls. “I introduced myself and set up a rehearsal for a new band I was building at the time. We both just love Paul Simon and we started out playing his songs together. It took many years to just finally put a show together.”
Eight years in the making, Eckstine is proud that each musician playing in the upcoming show was hand selected for this project. While most of the band identifies as jazz musicians, there are a few like Eckstine who are more Americana and folk, and that combination just lends itself beautifully to the music of Paul Simon.
“Even though we come from different genres, we all have enough respect for each other and the music to do this show,” Eckstine explains.
Eckstine took great care in selecting the set list for the show and was dedicated to staying true what Simon himself is doing in his own live shows.
“These songs are hits and that just makes it be a more enjoyable of a show,” Eckstine assures.
In addition to the hits, Eckstine and Chesanow also included a few song off-the-beaten-path that hold special meaning to them as songwriters, like “America.”
“I just feel like it was kind of the first song that I heard by Simon and Garfunkel that I really just fell in love with as a young musician,” Eckstine recalled. “I’m a songwriter, so there is nothing like learning a piece of a huge person’s catalog and hoping that rubs off.”
This salute is just one of the many community-based shows that Eckstine has been dedicating his time to.
“I’m trying to be more a producer of quality events in town, and I get more satisfaction out of collaborating with the community of musicians to provide a higher quality of music in the area … you know, the high tide rises all ships,” explained Eckstine.
A different cast than the usual “let’s put a bunch of Savannah musicians together and put on a show,” this salute is not driven by financial gain, but rather, a love for the Savannah arts community, including musicians, patrons and fans. With the rise of tribute bands, often from out-of-town, popping up, it’s refreshing to see a band pay tribute while honoring our homegrown talent.
“People want savannah to be cool and artistic and to be a part of this community,” said Eckstine.
Homeward Bound: A Savannah Salute to the Music of Paul Simon, is expected to be a sold-out show with only about 80 seats left to sell at the time of this story’s publication. You can purchase tickets on EventBrite. The show is open to all ages.
The High Notes
What: Homeward Bound: A Savannah Salute to the Music of Paul Simon
Where: Victory North
When: Friday, Aug. 30 from 7-10 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m.
Tickets: EventBrite