The Neville Brothers
Band members Related acts
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line- up 1 (1977-) - Aaron Neville -- vocals, percussion - Art Neville (RIP 2019) -- vocals, keyboards - Charles Neville (RIP 2018) -- saxophone, percussion, vocals - Cyril Neville - vocals, keyboards, percussion
supporting musicians (1982) - David Barard - bass guitar - Carl Blouin - baritone sax - Jimmy Duggan - trombone - Herman V. Ernest III - drums - Babi Floyd - backing vocals - Joseph Fox III - trumpet - James Hayes - backing vocals - Quay Houchen - backing vocals - Cissy Houston - backing vocals - Jerry Lawson - backing vocals - Ralph MacDonald - percussion - Leo Nocentelli - guitars - Charmaine Neville - vocals - Ivan Neville - percussion - David Newman - sax - The Persuasions - backing vocals - Wardell Quezergue - synthesizer, acoustic piano - Whitney Houston - backing vocals - Mac Rebennack - percussion, keyboards - Herbert Rhoad - backing vocals - Joe Russell - backing vocals - Zachary Sanders - backing vocals - Jayotis Washington - backing vocals - Eltesa Weathersby - backing vocals - Jim Weber - trumpet - Kenneth Williams - percussion
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- Arthur and Booker (Art Neville) - Deep Rumba (Charles Neville) - Deff Generation (Cyril Neville) - The Funky Meters (Art Neville) - The Hawketts (Aaron Neville and Art Neville) - The Meters (Art Neville and Cyril Meters)) - Pernard Purdie & Friends (Cyril Neville) - Aaron Neville (solo efforts) - Aaron Neville and the Sounds (Aaron Neville and Art Neville) - Art Neville (solo efforts) - Charles Neville (solo efforts) - Charles Neville and Diversity (Charles Neville) - Cyril Neville (solo efforts) - Cyril Neville & the Uptown Allstars) - Royal Southern Brotherhood (Cyril Neville) - The Singing Saints (Aaron Neville) - The Tick Tocks (Aaron Neville and Art Neville) - The Voices of the Wetlands All-Stars (Cyril Neville) - The Wild Tchoupitoulas (Aaront Neville, Art Neville, Charles Neville and Cyril Neville) |
Genre: funk Rating: 3 stars *** Tiitle: Fiyo On the Bayou Company: A&M Catalog: SP 4866 Year: 1982 Country/State: New Orleans, Louisiana Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $20.00
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The Neville
Brothers second release for A&Ms, 1981's "Fiyo On the
Bayou" saw them teamed with producer Joel Dorn and arranger
Wardell Quezergue. A&M's' mandate to Dorn and the group was
clear - "you will make this record more commercial." With
backin
"Fiyo On
the Bayou" track listing: 1.) Hey Pocky Way (Ziggy Modeliste - Art Neville - Leo Nocentelli - George Porter, Jr.) - 4:14 rating: *** stars As the proud owner of a copy of The Meters' 'Rejuvination" album, The Nevilles' cover off 'Hey Pocky Way' stood as a familiar tune. Their cover was certainly enthusiastic, but ultimately I can't say it was an improvement on The Meters' version. 2.) Sweet Honey Dripper (Art Neville) - 5:19 rating: **** stars 'Sweet Honey Dripper' had previously seen daylight as a 1979 single on The Nevilles' own Cookie label. The reworked version wasn't radically different, perhaps a bit smoother. Still it was a perfect tune to demonstrate The Nevilles' overlooked harmony vocals. About the best thing I can say is try to sit still through this one.
- 1979's 'Sweet Honey Dripper' b/w 'Dance Your Blues Away' (Cookie catalog number CN-1) - 1981's 'Sweet Honey Dripper' b/w 'Brother John / Iko Iko' (A&M catalog number 2388-S) 3.) Fire on the Bayou (Ziggy Modeliste - Art Neville,- Leo Nocentelli - George Porter, Jr) - 5:16 rating: **** stars The title track was another tune previously recorded by The Meters and like 'Hey Pocky Way' The Meters version was a touch rawer and funkier. The remake still made for the album's funkiest performance. I've always been puzzled why A&M didn't tap the track as a single. Eltesa Weathersby along with Cissy and Whitney Houston were featured on backing vocals. 4.) Ten Commandments of Love (Marshall Paul) - 3:45 rating: *** stars Showcasing
Aaron Neville's instantly recognizable falsetto, 'The Commandments of Love'
was a '50s ballad for people who didn't like '50s ballads. Be sure to
checkout The Moonglows' original. (side
2) Jimmy Cliff's version is the one most folks are familiar with, but I'll admit to preferring The Neville's smoothed out, souled-up cover. It was another track featuring Cissy and Whitney Houston on backing vocals, though they're largely lost in the mix.
- 1981's 'Sitting In Limbo' b/w 'Brother John / Iko Iko' (A&M catalog number 2358-S) 2.) Brother John / Iko Iko (Earl King / Cyril Neville) - 5:34 rating: **** stars Opening up as an acappella arrangement, about all I can say is that if some ever writes a musical obituary for me, I wouldn't mind it if the song was half as catchy as 'Brother John'. Seamlessly blending into the classic New Orleans tune 'Iko Iko' this was one of those tunes you had to play over and over again. YouTube has a couple of live performances of the song. Recorded during the May, 1990 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival this clip features The DIxie Cups (who had a 1965 top-20 US pop hit with 'Iko Iko' and the late CBS reporter Ed Bradley: The Neville Brothers - Brother John / Iko Iko / Jambalaya / They All Ask'd For You - 5/6/1990 - YouTube 3.)
Mona Lisa (Jay Livingston - Ray Evans) - 3:45 rating:
** stars 4.) Run Joe (Walk Herrick - Joe Willoughby - Louis Jordan) - 3:36 rating: **** stars 'Run Joe' was an updated version of a 1947 song by Louis Jordan. The original lyric was built around a fortune telling scam run by Moe and Joe. Updated with a drug dealer theme the remake sported a breezy Calypso flavor, great percussion and horns. Alwas loved the '50s-styled backing vocals. The result' was one of the album's overlooked charmers. Great message too boot - listen to your mom and stay away from drug dealers.
© Scott R. Blackerby January, 2025
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Genre: funk Rating: 3 stars *** Tiitle: Live At Tipitina's Volume II Company: Spindletop Catalog: Year: 1982 Country/State: New Orleans, Louisiana Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: SOLD Catalog ID: SOLD 4953 Price: SOLD $20.00
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Recorded at the same September 1982 concert as "Live At Tipitina's Volume I", the ten tracks on "Live At Tipitina's Volume II" were almost as impressive. Once again produced by David Torkankowsky, this time around the song selection wasn't as well known as on Volume 1, but the performances on tracks like the rockin' opener 'Wishin'' (brother Cyril kickin' the crap out of the song), the reggae influenced 'Everybody's Got To Wake Up' and 'Little Liza Jane' were just as good. It was a minor complaint, but the post-production work seemed to have smoothed out some of the group's edges, occasionally threatening to turn them into Kool and the Gang ('Dance Your Blues Away'). The problem was it was those very edges that made them such a unique live act. The crappy mix on audience noise was also an ongoing distraction. The marketing concept behind this one was lost on me - why didn't they simply opt to release a killer double LP concert set ?
"Live At
Tipitina's Volume II" track listing: 1.) Wishin' (Cyril Neville - Daryl Johnson) - 3:31 2.) Rock & Roll Medley - 4:12 3.) All Over Again (unknown) - 2:43 4.) Everybody's Got To Wake Up (Cyril Neville - Bryan Stoltz) - 3:34 5.) Dance Your
Blues Away (Ivan Neville) - 6:02 (side
2) 2.) Wildflower (unknown) - 4:54 3.) My Girl (Smokey Robinson - Ronald White) - 3:50 4.) Riverside (unknown) - 3:54 5.) Saib's Groove (Daryl Johnson) - 3:35
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from an all-star cast of family (Charmaine and Ivan Neville), friends (Cissy
and Whitney Houston) and New Orleans-based players including Meters
guitarist Leo Nocentelli, keyboardist Mac Rebennack The Nevilles
complied. The resulting album featured a mixture of covers and
originals. Included were a pair of New Orleans funk and Cajun classics
- The Meters 'Hey Pocky
Way' and 'Fire
on the Bayou'.
Elsewhere the two tracks spotlighting Aaron Neville were true musical
outliers. Fans of the band's Cajun and funk moves were probably
confused hearing heavily orchestrated pop ballads. In fact these
remakes of The Moonglows' 'Ten Commandments of Love' and the classic 'Mona
Lisa' sounded very much like precursors
to Aaron's forthcoming solo career. Aaron's unique voice was definitely
special, but it was jarring when you were expecting to hear something
funky. That left the Art Neville penned single 'Sweet
Honey Dripper', a
sweet remake of Jimmy Cliff's 'Sitting
in Limbo'
and their cover of the Calypso-tinged 'Run Joe' among the album
highlights. It certainly wasn't a Meters album, but it wad an awesome
"gateway" collection into the New Orleans musical catalog.
