The Simon and Garfunkel Story Reviews
Chicago Tribune- Somewhat Recommended
"...So, you might be thinking, is Chris Jones telling me not to go? Not necessarily. It actually is not so easy any more to hear this music performed live, especially in a show that gives you such a broad and well-chosen swath of material, mostly sung in something close to originally recorded form. If you bought and loved these platinum and double-platinum albums, as did I, I wager you will have a fine time reliving your memories as one song follows another. Bloom is a fine guitarist and, to his credit, Cooley has both a sweet voice and a lovely sense of that laconic Garfunkel cool. That’s all there is, but, hey."
Chicago Sun Times- Recommended
"...Bloom and Cooley are two talented singers and, in the case of Bloom, a quite capable guitarist. They deliver the familiar S&G harmonies in fine fashion, a daunting task for sure, and they navigate the songbook with much aplomb, backed by a rockin' four-piece band: Alec Hamilton on keyboards, Bob Sale on drums, Marc Encabo on bass and Josh Vasquez on guitar. Diehard fans will find little fault with what they hear, while newbies will come to know the mighty Simon and Garfunkel songbook, which became the music of a generation, the mirror of a most turbulent era in America's history."
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
"...Director Dean Elliott's show is basically a license to print money, courtesy of boomers increasingly aware that 70 doesn't look as "terribly strange" as it did during the Summer of Love. The script has the performers pitching their own CDs, for chrissakes. Still, even that's forgivable when the music starts. There's glory in Cooley's soaring "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and reverence in Bloom's renditions of S&G's intricate acoustic guitar licks. And keep an eye on Marc Encabo (bass) and Joshua Vasquez (guitar)—their high-powered jubilation will leave you joy struck."
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
"...If you love their music ( I am speaking of Simon & Garfunkel) you will be in heaven attending this production. In fact, you may feel that you have become a time traveler and are back in 1981 at Central park. Both Clements and Smith are perfect in what they bring to the stage, as singers and story tellers. I think both Paul and I were happy to see just how good they were."
WTTW- Highly Recommended
"...“The Simon & Garfunkel Story,” a concert-style performance that began in London and is now making a brief stop at the Broadway Playhouse as part of an extensive North American tour, turned out to be a great deal more than just a grandly nostalgic trip through a remarkable songbook, with superb renderings of many of their greatest hits. The show also happens to be a wonderful reawakening that suggests just how potent the pair’s songs, with their poetic underpinnings, wonderfully original melodies and ingenious rhythms continue to be in these very different yet no less chaotic times."