Man, this will be interesting. It brings up an ongoing conversation I have with Spudmaster, relating to NY as a genius as a musical artist, but where does he stand as a guitarist. I won't say more about that discussion, but will be interested in Spud's answer here.
My answer, I vote with the garageband from Japan. Theirs is really just a cover, (albeit seemingly a decent one) though when their vocalist stretches a little they almost lost my vote. The cymbals are a little too hot in this handheld vid recording too. Clearly Satch's clip has better musicians in it, and I don't dislike what Satch does with it.
But the trumpet is distracting (this is not a Chicago piece, and Doc Severinsen doesn't do NY, for Heaven's sake!), and that many qualified solo musicians simply don't add up to a better tribute in my mind. What I am saying is that the vocalist, the trumpet player and Satch are all taking turns being magnificent, and yet it doesn't add up to a better performance of the song to me. (Satch's performance is the best of the three BTW.) It gets away from what I think Neil's music is about. So the garage band cover gets my vote (Oh, and I like the Old Blackie copy and the Goldtop too

) . . . . Ok, I am ducking flames from across the nuclear reservation between Spud's house and mine right now.

:rotflmao: