review for Classic Albums: Paul Simon - Graceland on AllMovie

Paul Simon's landmark 1986 album Graceland goes under the microscope on this making-of documentary. Virtually every aspect of the album is explored, from the trip to South Africa in 1985 when Simon and engineer Roy Halee met with local musicians to the recording sessions in South Africa and New York. Interviews with Simon, Halee, musician/co-songwriter Joseph Shabala, Ray Phiri, Bakithi Kumalo, Linda Ronstadt, and Philip Glass, together with footage of the sessions and live performances, shed light on the creation of Graceland, winner of 1986's Album of the Year Grammy Award. While fans expecting to see and hear Graceland in its entirety will be disappointed, the insights this documentary provides into the making of one of Simon's finest albums should fascinate anyone interested in his creative process.