Paul Simon's Seven Psalms: Premiere Listening Event

Please join WNYC's John Schaefer who will host this exclusive playback of Paul Simon's Seven Psalms. The music will be played twice with a brief intermission.

Please note: Paul Simon will not be present at this event. Only those that RSVP and receive confirmation will be secured admittance, on a first-come, first-served basis.

This will be a cell-free listening event. Yondr will be on hand to securely check cell phones at the door.

Intended to be listened to as one continuous piece, the 33-minute, seven-movement composition transcends the concept of the “album”. Recorded entirely on acoustic instruments, and predominantly performed by Paul, Seven Psalms showcases Simon’s craft at its finest and most captivating, simply with his voice and guitar.

A stunning, intricately layered work, it’s a record which establishes an engaging and meditative, almost hymnal soundscape, with Paul’s lyrics providing the gravitational center for constellations of sound woven from guitar strings and other acoustic instrumentation – including choral elements from the highly-regarded British vocal ensemble VOCES8, and a beautiful vocal appearance by Edie Brickell. True to the origin of psalms as hymns meant to be sung rather than spoken, Seven Psalms reaches back to the very genesis of folk music: King David’s Psalms. The result is a quietly moving musical experience which uncovers a wealth of subtle details with every repeated listen. A step apart from anything Paul Simon has released before, Seven Psalms defies categorization.

This is a chance to hear this extraordinary music in an extraordinary space, two weeks before its release (Seven Psalms will be released in its entirety May 19th on vinyl LP, CD and across digital platforms).  This event is open to the public however space is limited. So only those that RSVP and receive confirmation will be secured admittance on a first come first serve basis.