Elton John Misses His Own Tribute
Elton John was in Philadelphia Wednesday night with Billie Jean King, but he missed his own tribute at Carnegie Hall — and it was a spectacular one at that.
Elton’s collaborator Bernie Taupin was on hand, however, at Carnegie Hall for the second Music for Youth concert put upon by UJA Federation this year. The last one, held in April, saluted Bruce Springsteen, and he showed up.
Sadly, Elton didn’t get to hear a super selection of his and Bernie’s songs performed by an eclectic and very talented group of musicians including Aimee Mann, Phoebe Snow, Shawn Colvin, Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, new hot R&B sensation Ryan Shaw, Jill Sobule, Howard Jones, jazz great Roy Ayers and '60s pop duo Peter & Gordon.
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I don’t know if Bernie liked the show, because he wasn’t doing press and didn’t come backstage to meet the performers. Elton, sources insist, now only attends functions if a big check is drawn to his AIDS Foundation. (That’s what Billie Jean was doing with him and various tennis stars.)
I guess that’s a legitimate request if it’s a corporate function, but Music for Youth has now raised millions to help put music programs in public schools. They are collecting money, not disbursing it to other charities.
So Elton missed hearing Phoebe Snow’s phenomenal rendition of “Empty Garden,” the song he wrote after John Lennon was murdered. Phoebe was so powerful that she brought the crowd to its feet — and she was only the fourth performer.
He also didn’t get to see Howard Jones, the '80s balladeer whose own hit was “No One Is to Blame.” Jones started playing “Tiny Dancer” on an electronic keyboard. But when a cable kept causing static, he stopped, retreated to the grand piano on stage right, and played the song the old-fashioned way. It was beautiful, and he got a standing ovation, too.
I’d like to see some of today’s pop performers react with such aplomb. Of course, they’d have to know how to play a real instrument!
Some other highlights included a breathtaking version of “Levon” by Jill Sobule with the Ethel ensemble; McGuinn resurrecting “Friends,” an Elton rarity; Aimee Mann — who apparently, like this reporter, loves John’s “Tumbleweed Connection” album — on “My Father’s Gun”; and newcomer Joshua Radin on “Border Song (Holy Moses).”
We were impressed with a bunch of lesser-known acts, in fact. Raul Malo, of the Mavericks, was so good singing “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” that his beautiful baritone should be selling CDs as fast as Josh Groban. Someone get the guy a manager.
And Ryan Shaw proved once again he is the real thing in R&B, a soul man for the 2000s. He nailed “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues.”
What Elton really missed was hearing how resilient his and Taupin’s songbook is, and how the songs hold up. Many of them were from the mid-'70s, but Peter & Gordon found gold in a more recent track, “I Want Love,” which Peter Asher reworked from a dirge into an Everly Brothers-type harmonic that literally soared through Carnegie Hall. Reunited after 38 years, the singing duo really has become a cult hit.Here’s the set list:
Naked Eyes-Rocket Man
Shawn Colvin-Sacrifice
Fools for April-Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters
Phoebe Snow-Empty Garden
Page McConnell-Amoreena
Pernice Brothers-Country Comfort
Kristina Train-Ballad of a Well Known Gun
Aimee Mann-My Father’s Gun
School of Rock Allstars-Love Lies Bleeding
Roger McGuinn-Friends
Buddy-I’m Still Standing
Howard Jones-Tiny Dancer
Joshua Radin-The Border Song
Jill Sobule with Ethel-Levon
Roy Ayers-Bad Side of the Moon
Lizz Wright-Come Down in Time
David Broza-Your Song
Raul Malo-Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
Ryan Shaw-Guess That’s Why They Call it The Blues
Peter and Gordon-I Want Love
