Rhymin' Simon

Like Mount McKinley and Yellowstone National Park, Paul Simon is a national treasure. Yes, it may seem strange to compare a diminutive singer-songwriter to a 20,000-foot mountain and a geyser-filled wildlife preserve, but we think that, just as the two enrich our country's natural splendor, classics such as "Mrs. Robinson," "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Still Crazy After all These Years" bejewel its musical landscape.

In the 1960s, Simon and poodle-haired partner Art Garfunkel added innumerable other classics to the folk-rock canon and, as a solo performer, Simon merged worlds with the South African–influenced Graceland and the Brazilian-flavored Rhythm of the Saints. And he's once again in experimental form on his new album, Surprise, in which his somber, reflective style gets an electronic glaze from U2 producer/ambient music pioneer Brian Eno. Featuring the fine musicians he discovers on his globe-hopping jaunts, Simon's concerts are always a treat.
Sat., July 22, 7:30 p.m.