The Sunday Morning “Nobody Asked Me To, But I’m Going To Give It Anyway” Concert Review.
So, first off, a small piece of advice: If you should happen to be anywhere near a Neville Brothers’ concert, make sure you pick up some tickets. 12 hours later, we are still boppin’ to their New Orleans rhythm and blues grooves! Thank God we’ve got the drapes closed - we're both still in our pajamas…
We went in with no preset expectations. My oldest sister had gotten my interest revived in The Neville Brothers back when their Yellow Moon album came out, and both my wife and I are big fans of Aaron Neville's solo work (who in real life is a little shorter than you’d expect, but still looks like he could benchpress a transit bus while enjoying a cappuccino. The man has serious pipes…)
By the end of the first song, it was apparent that massive talent like theirs was the reason recording was invented. Every member a skilled instrumentalist (and most band members vocalists as well), most of the evening consisted of long, funked-out improvisations. It was, like another rock band used to say, insane in the membrane!!
Sure, they did many of the songs you’d have expected and hoped to hear, like “Can’t Stop The Funk”, “Tell It Like It Is”, “Everybody Plays the Fool”, and that “Yellow Moon” tune, but there were so many other songs that showcased each and every member of the ensemble. A highlight in particular was a New Orleans version of “Iko Iko” that lead into “Jambalaya”. Outstanding…
Saxist Charles Neville got two standing ovations during his stellar solo workouts. He may be just about as good a player as Kenny G!!
Real reviewers might give you much more detail about each member, and who wrote what song – who freakin’ cares about that?? Seeing Aaron Neville do a near-acapella version of “Amazing Grace” for an encore, before the band rejoined to send us home with a funky version of Bob Marley’s “One Life” will tell you that I know a little something about all that.
More importantly, I just gotta tell ya – go see these guys live. They were funkin’ amazing!!
Chow for now!!
So, first off, a small piece of advice: If you should happen to be anywhere near a Neville Brothers’ concert, make sure you pick up some tickets. 12 hours later, we are still boppin’ to their New Orleans rhythm and blues grooves! Thank God we’ve got the drapes closed - we're both still in our pajamas…
We went in with no preset expectations. My oldest sister had gotten my interest revived in The Neville Brothers back when their Yellow Moon album came out, and both my wife and I are big fans of Aaron Neville's solo work (who in real life is a little shorter than you’d expect, but still looks like he could benchpress a transit bus while enjoying a cappuccino. The man has serious pipes…)
By the end of the first song, it was apparent that massive talent like theirs was the reason recording was invented. Every member a skilled instrumentalist (and most band members vocalists as well), most of the evening consisted of long, funked-out improvisations. It was, like another rock band used to say, insane in the membrane!!
Sure, they did many of the songs you’d have expected and hoped to hear, like “Can’t Stop The Funk”, “Tell It Like It Is”, “Everybody Plays the Fool”, and that “Yellow Moon” tune, but there were so many other songs that showcased each and every member of the ensemble. A highlight in particular was a New Orleans version of “Iko Iko” that lead into “Jambalaya”. Outstanding…
Saxist Charles Neville got two standing ovations during his stellar solo workouts. He may be just about as good a player as Kenny G!!
Real reviewers might give you much more detail about each member, and who wrote what song – who freakin’ cares about that?? Seeing Aaron Neville do a near-acapella version of “Amazing Grace” for an encore, before the band rejoined to send us home with a funky version of Bob Marley’s “One Life” will tell you that I know a little something about all that.
More importantly, I just gotta tell ya – go see these guys live. They were funkin’ amazing!!
Chow for now!!
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