Biography
An early-morning ride along New Orleans’ St. Charles Avenue streetcar might have revealed Charles Neville absorbed in T’ai Chi practice, his preferred setting for the discipline. Among the Neville Brothers he stood out for his deep engagement with Eastern spiritual traditions, yet he also served as the family’s primary saxophonist, a role his siblings honored by dubbing him “The Horn Man.” That instrument earned him a 1989 Grammy for the atmospheric “Healing Chant” on the Yellow Moon album, capping more than fifty years of performance that long preceded the Neville Brothers’ official formation in 1977.
In the early 1950s Neville co-founded the group Turquoise alongside his brother Art and several local musicians. Military service and subsequent travels placed him on the road, where he backed artists ranging from Jimmy Reed to B.B. King and Bobby “Blue” Bland. As part of the house band at the celebrated Dew Drop Inn, he accompanied hometown luminaries such as Allen Toussaint, James Booker, Huey “Piano” Smith, and Ernie K. Doe. A narcotics-related conviction led to incarceration at Angola, the Louisiana prison whose former inmates include many of the city’s most revered musicians. These surroundings contributed to Neville’s wide-ranging musical palette; further broadening occurred in New York, where he absorbed the work of saxophonists Sonny Rollins, Charlie Parker, and John Coltrane while claiming Louis Jordan as his chief inspiration and performing alongside George Coleman and Billy Higgins.
Neville rejoined his brothers in New Orleans in 1977. Membership in the so-called First Family of Funk brought international recognition, although much of the group’s strongest material remained largely unknown beyond the Crescent City until later. Their 1986 release Treacherous captured an especially broad spectrum, incorporating Mardi Gras Indian chants alongside Aaron Neville’s chart-topping “Tell It Like It Is,” and closing with a gospel finale that many regard as unmatched by subsequent recordings. On the same album Neville delivered an especially intense solo on “Fever.”
Despite local esteem, the Neville Brothers achieved widespread stardom only after Aaron Neville’s collaboration with Linda Ronstadt introduced their sound to a national audience. Each brother maintained a distinct artistic path: Cyril explored reggae rhythms, Art continued with the Meters, and Charles led the ensemble Diversity. Diversity became noted for its atmospheric sets at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, drawing on the city’s deep bench of players that included Johnny Vidacovich and Michael Ray. The 1991 album And Diversity showcased the group’s expansive stylistic reach and remained a fixture of Neville’s performances alongside his extensive Neville Brothers catalog and live appearances. His daughter, Charmaine Neville, frequently shared the stage with him.
Neville relocated to Massachusetts in the 1990s yet continued regular visits to New Orleans. In 2008 he issued Safe in Buddha’s Palm, a recording in which the veteran, spiritually attuned musician paid tribute to Eastern thought, the restorative influence of the feminine, and the richness of his own musical heritage. Charles Neville passed away at his Massachusetts residence in April 2018 at the age of 79.
In the early 1950s Neville co-founded the group Turquoise alongside his brother Art and several local musicians. Military service and subsequent travels placed him on the road, where he backed artists ranging from Jimmy Reed to B.B. King and Bobby “Blue” Bland. As part of the house band at the celebrated Dew Drop Inn, he accompanied hometown luminaries such as Allen Toussaint, James Booker, Huey “Piano” Smith, and Ernie K. Doe. A narcotics-related conviction led to incarceration at Angola, the Louisiana prison whose former inmates include many of the city’s most revered musicians. These surroundings contributed to Neville’s wide-ranging musical palette; further broadening occurred in New York, where he absorbed the work of saxophonists Sonny Rollins, Charlie Parker, and John Coltrane while claiming Louis Jordan as his chief inspiration and performing alongside George Coleman and Billy Higgins.
Neville rejoined his brothers in New Orleans in 1977. Membership in the so-called First Family of Funk brought international recognition, although much of the group’s strongest material remained largely unknown beyond the Crescent City until later. Their 1986 release Treacherous captured an especially broad spectrum, incorporating Mardi Gras Indian chants alongside Aaron Neville’s chart-topping “Tell It Like It Is,” and closing with a gospel finale that many regard as unmatched by subsequent recordings. On the same album Neville delivered an especially intense solo on “Fever.”
Despite local esteem, the Neville Brothers achieved widespread stardom only after Aaron Neville’s collaboration with Linda Ronstadt introduced their sound to a national audience. Each brother maintained a distinct artistic path: Cyril explored reggae rhythms, Art continued with the Meters, and Charles led the ensemble Diversity. Diversity became noted for its atmospheric sets at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, drawing on the city’s deep bench of players that included Johnny Vidacovich and Michael Ray. The 1991 album And Diversity showcased the group’s expansive stylistic reach and remained a fixture of Neville’s performances alongside his extensive Neville Brothers catalog and live appearances. His daughter, Charmaine Neville, frequently shared the stage with him.
Neville relocated to Massachusetts in the 1990s yet continued regular visits to New Orleans. In 2008 he issued Safe in Buddha’s Palm, a recording in which the veteran, spiritually attuned musician paid tribute to Eastern thought, the restorative influence of the feminine, and the richness of his own musical heritage. Charles Neville passed away at his Massachusetts residence in April 2018 at the age of 79.
Albums
