Marc Cohn in concert

It is hard to believe it had been sixteen years since I first saw Marc Cohn perform. To say the least, there have been changes. My beautiful girlfriend who sat next to me back then, and was again next to me, is now my beautiful wife. There have been three new albums, with tonight’s show featuring his recent “Join the Parade.” And when Marc stepped on stage, I could see that he too had changed. He had added a Grammy, lost a little hair, and this was no longer a one man show. The audience had been warmed by the surprisingly entertaining Amy Correia, and was clearly eager to hear that trademark voice, filled with a soulfulness that serves as Marc’s calling card. Marc sat at the piano and began, starting the night with a charged “Live Out the String.”
Sixteen years ago, I felt as though I had personally discovered Marc Cohn (after he had recorded and released a full album, and had a single playing on the radio, of course). The Living Room in Providence, RI was a small, intimate venue. Marc simply stood in front of the room, no stage, no band……just a keyboard and himself. I had heard “Walking in Memphis” on the radio, bought the album, and grabbed the show tickets as soon as they were released for sale. I joined about 100 other people for a show that remains my favorite small show experience. Marc’s music reveals his intelligence and virtuosity, but his performances permit him to display his wit, warmth, and engaging personality. And as I sat in this new venue, the Highline Ballroom in NYC, I recognized that with all the differences, there were many similarities as well.
Marc’s sentimentality continues to compel audiences to listen intently as he performs haunting and personal songs that tell instantly recognizable stories. “Silver Thunderbird” captures the mysteries of fatherhood, from a small boy’s perspective. “Dance Back from the Grave” is a spirited story of recovery, with a healthy attitude. “Listening to Levon,” his most recent song on the airwaves, is a tremendous song about those small, pivotal moments in a young person’s life. His songs are like photographs, and Marc seems to know just where to point the lens.
While the songwriting for his latest effort is excellent, on a par with his first album, and superior to both “The Rainy Season” and “Burning the Daze,” Marc is also a great performer. In this show, he played piano, guitar, and the drums (not simultaneously) and his voice remains strong. He can sound like Clapton on a song like “If I Were an Angel,” Cocker on “29 Ways,” and Randy Newman on “My Sanctuary.” When the audience can’t help but sing out the familiar lyrics to a favorite song, Marc is kind enough to step aside and accompany us on the piano. He tells us the stories behind the stories, and suddenly Muriel from “Walking in Memphis” becomes an inspiration, as she obviously once was to Marc.
At the end of the night, I was glad to have traveled for an hour into NYC, on a Wednesday night, to see what turned out to be an excellent performance. But this show, for me, was partly about differences and similarities, change and constant. It was good to see Marc Cohn again, and his new album is a reminder of the gifts that initially brought him to our attention. He remains gracious, and the audience left happy. But I guess, like Marc Cohn, I am sentimental, and can’t help missing the closeness and simplicity of that first show sixteen years ago. Its too bad he had to be so successful.

By NEXT listener Mike