Artists pay tribute to Elton John, Bernie Taupin
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GEORGE McNISH/THE STAR-LEDGER
Shawn Colvin performs "Harmony" during the Carnegie Hall tribute to the music of Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
NEW YORK -- "It was hard to choose one," said Shawn Colvin, before performing "Sacrifice" at a tribute to the songwriting team of Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Wednesday night at Carnegie Hall.
No kidding. John and lyricist Taupin have one of the biggest and most varied catalogs in the business, and it's almost impossible for a tribute concert -- even a generous one like Wednesday's, which featured 20 artists doing one song apiece -- to do it justice.
There was no "Daniel" in this tribute, a benefit for the UJA-Federation of New York's Music For Youth initiative. There was no "Someone Saved My Life Tonight." No "Candle in the Wind." No "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me." No "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road." There just wasn't enough time.
Also, artists didn't restrict themselves to monster hits. So Page McConnell of Phish, for instance, tackled "Amoreena," adding a touch of cocktail-lounge suavity, and Aimee Mann sang a graceful, slightly melancholy "My Father's Gun." Folk-rock visionary Roger McGuinn turned in a loose, upbeat "Friends," and jazz singer-vibraphonist Roy Ayers funked up "Bad Side of the Moon."
John didn't attend, but Taupin did; he was introduced, from his balcony seat, at the start of the show, and waved. One imagines it was quite a night for him, listening to such an eclectic batch of artists bring new shades of meaning to his words.
GEORGE McNISH/THE STAR-LEDGERRoger McGuinn plays "Friends" during the salute to the songwriting team.
David Broza opted for one of the best-known John-Taupin compositions, "Your Song," and put an odd twist on it, turning this humble love letter into a bold, flamenco-tinged declaration. The singer-songwriter known only as Buddy offered an equally adventurous, and more satisfying, overhaul of a John-Taupin classic. Singing "I'm Still Standing," he sounded fragile and wounded at first, but ended with a cathartic raveup; it really seemed like he had triumphed over something. Colvin interpreted "Sacrifice" in a gentle, coffeehouse-folk manner, and the group Fools For April treated "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" in much the same way. But most artists tried for something more dramatic. Phoebe Snow turned "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" -- a John Lennon tribute written shortly after his death -- into an explosive soul-gospel epic, and Lizz Wright smoldered in torch-song fashion, on "Come Down In Time." Raul Malo brought a near-operatic sense of intensity to "Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word," while Ryan Shaw added some dazzling vocal runs to "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues." Jill Sobule, sumptuously backed by the Ethel string quartet and keyboardist Steve Gaboury, sang "Levon" with an irresistibly uplifting sense of joy. The evening's biggest trouper turned out to be new-wave survivor Howard Jones, who didn't get upset when his electric keyboard issued blasts of static as he tried to sing "Tiny Dancer." He just shrugged, exchanged smiles with his guitarist, walked over to the grand piano at the side of the stage, and started over. His version was straightforward, but still magical, with the crowd helping to sing the song's soaring chorus. The show-closing slot went to British Invasion stars Peter & Gordon -- Peter Asher and Gordon Waller, who recently started performing together again after a 38-year break. They reinvented a relatively new John-Taupin song, the stately "I Want Love," with their lush harmonies, making it sound like one of their own hits. This was the fourth Music For Youth benefit that has taken place since early 2006; the previous ones saluted Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Joni Mitchell. No date has been set for the next in the series.
Jay Lustig may be reached at jlustig@starledger.com or (973) 392-5850.
