Garfunkel, with two new partners, hits the high notes

The velvety tenor of Art Garfunkel hasn’t always been put to good use over the years. He is capable of taking a song to epic vocal heights, as in the career-defining Simon & Garfunkel hit “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” but in the course of an entire concert, the soft, ethereal nature of his voice benefits from some vocal contrast.

At the Wiltern on Sunday, Garfunkel found some with the help of two new musical partners, Maia Sharp and Buddy Mondlock, who have collaborated on his new album, “Everything Waits to Be Noticed.”

The trio and a four-piece band performed new songs and Simon & Garfunkel hits, riding whispery harmonies and delicate instrumentation. New songs included “The Thread” and others that marked the debut of Garfunkel as a songwriter. Like others on Sunday, they were best when stripped down to a direct, mostly acoustic approach.

Voices don’t necessarily fade with middle age. Rocker Robert Plant may not be able to hit the old high notes, but Mick Jagger sings in a growl that’s richer and fuller than ever. At the Wiltern, 60-year-old Garfunkel hit those soft, high notes just as easily.

Since the ‘70s, Garfunkel has frequently tapped the songwriting of Jimmy Webb, whose “Skywriter” was unraveled Sunday with layers of emotional intensity. Not everything was tastefully performed. The tempo jumped for Simon & Garfunkel’s “Cecilia,” but with an overly busy tropical instrumentation that was more Club Med than memorable.

But when the singer once again tackled “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” ending to an earned standing ovation, it was clear that with the right material, Garfunkel wasn’t in need of any help at all.