Paul Simon - The Rhythm of the Saints

Though he recorded the album's prominent percussion tracks in Brazil, Paul Simon fashioned The Rhythm of the Saints as a deliberate follow-up to the artistic breakthrough and commercial comeback that was the South Africa-tinged Graceland. Several of the musicians who had appeared previously were back, along with some of the New York session players who had worked with Simon in the 1970s, and the overall sound was familiar to fans of Graceland. Further, Simon's nonlinear lyrical approach was carried over: he continued to ruminate about love, aging, and the onslaught of modern life in disconnected phrases and images that created impressions rather than telling straightforward stories. But where Graceland had seamlessly merged its styles into an exuberant whole, The Rhythm of the Saints was less well digested. Those drum tracks never seemed integrated effectively into what had been dubbed over them; at the same time, they tended to lock the songs into musical patterns that reined them in from the kind of excitement the South African music on Graceland generated, making the melodies harder to grasp. At the same time, Simon sang his lyrics in a less involved way, which sometimes made them seem like collections of random lines rather than the series of striking observations Graceland seemed to contain. No Paul Simon album could be lacking in craft or quality, and The Rhythm of the Saints was a typically tasteful effort. But this time around, Simon hadn't quite succeeded in bringing the wide-ranging elements together; the album sold about half as many copies as Graceland (that is to say, a none-too-shabby two million), and that's about right -- where Graceland was an exotic adventure, The Rhythm of the Saints was more of an anthropology lesson. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Name Credits Adrian Belew Synthesizer Alain Hatot Saxophone Andre Manga Bass Anthony Carrillo Bongos Antonio Luis Alves de Souza Director Armand Sabal-Lecco Bass Armandinho Guitar Artur Andres ? Asante Drums Bakithi Khumalo Bass Beloba Percussion Briz Vocals (Background) Bruce Keen Engineer Bruno Barbey Photography C.J. Chenier Accordion Canegal Percussion Charles Doherty Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor) Charlotte M'bango Vocals (Background) Clifton Anderson Trombone Clifton Chenier Accordion Clyde Mitchell Trumpet Danny Harrison Coordination Dave Bargeron Horn, Euphonium Decio Ramos ? Djana'd Vocals (Background) Don Chacal Bongos, Conga, Bata, Gourd Elolongue Mbango Catherine Vocals (Background) Errol Ince Trumpet Felix Sabal-Lecco Drums Florence Gnimagnon Vocals (Background) Francisco Aguabella Conga George Seba Guitar (Electric) Giovanni Hidalgo Conga Gordinho ?, Sordu Greg Calbi Mastering Greg Phillinganes Keyboards, Synthesizer Grupo Cultural Drums Hugh Masekela Flugelhorn Isaak Asante Percussion J.J. Cale Percussion, Guitar Jacques Bolognesi Trombone Jimmy McDonald Accordion Jorge Ferreira da Silva Percussion Jude Bethel Sax (Tenor) Justin Tchounou Synthesizer Karen Bernod Vocals (Background) Kia Jeffries Vocals (Background) Kim Wilson Harmonica Kofi Electrik Guitar, Guitar Arrangements Ladysmith Black Mambazo Vocals (Background) Lizzie Bravo Translation Madeleine Yayodele Nelson Chekere, ? Marc Silag Coordination Marçalzinho Percussion Martin Atangana Guitar (Electric) Mazzola Arranger, Chicote, Percussion Mequinho Engineer Michael Brecker Synthesizer, Percussion, Saxophone Miguel Rio Branco Photography Milton Nascimento Vocals Mingo Araujo Drums, Casinette, Go Go Bell, Triangle, Percussion, Castanets, African Bells, Conga, Cymbals, Shaker Myrna Lynn Gomila Vocals (Background) Naná Vasconcelos Percussion, Triangle, Gourd, Conga, Vocals, Berimbau Paul Santos Percussion Paul Simon Guitar Arrangements, Vocals (Background), Guitar, Horn Arrangements, Producer, Vocals Paulinho Santos ? Paulo Sérgio Santos ?, Chicote Pedro Sorongo Percussion, Scraper Phillipe Slominski Trumpet Randy Brecker Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet, Synthesizer Raphael Rabello Guitar Ray Phiri Guitar Arrangements, Guitar Remi Kabaka Percussion Remy Kabocka Drums Richard Travali Engineer, Assistant Engineer Ringo Starr Guitar Roy Halee Engineer Sidinho Moreira Conga, ?, Bongos, Bottle, Drums, Water Bowl Steve Gadd Drums Sylvia Plachy Photography Vincent Nguini Guitar Arrangements, Guitar, Bass, Clavinet, Horn Arrangements Wilson DasNeves Percussion, Cowbell Yo Yo De La Nelson Chakeire Yolanda Cuomo Art Direction, Design