RIP Art Neville
July 22, 2019 4:17 PM Subscribe
Please take a moment to pay respects to the patriarch of New Orleans's first family of funk, Poppa Funk, Art Neville, who passed away today.
Art founded The Meters (hilariously introduced here by the also recently deceased Dr. John) along with bassist George Porter Jr, guitarist Leo Nocentelli, and drummer Zigaboo Modeliste. Initially they were known for instrumental music (most famously Cissy Strut) but they later branched out to record vocal music as well, including 1974's Rejuvenation. Along the way, they did some sideman gigs with the likes of Mr. Addicted to Love himself Robert Palmer - check out How Much Fun. (That bouncy, rolling piano fill at the beginning of the song is one of Art's trademarks.) They also found themselves working with the aforementioned Good Doctor on his record In The Right Place - the funk represents deeply on the tune Peace Brother Peace.
Infighting led to the dissolution of the Meters, but Art joined forces with fellow Nevilles Cyril, Aaron (he of terminal falsetto), and Charles to form the Neville Brothers, carrying on the New Orleans funk tradition where the Meters left off (and garnering some commercial success along the way, with the help of a Daniel Lanois prodution effort - Yellow Moon - title track.)
In the early 90s, the Meters 2.0 - officially known as the Funky Meters - featuring original members Art and George - starting performing some of the old material and reminding audiences of the funk.
The Neville Brothers traditionally close out The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival with Aaron's rendition of "Amazing Grace" followed by their take on some gospel, spiritual-tinged music. It sounds something like this. Today the world is a little less funky. Let us all pour one out for Art.
Art founded The Meters (hilariously introduced here by the also recently deceased Dr. John) along with bassist George Porter Jr, guitarist Leo Nocentelli, and drummer Zigaboo Modeliste. Initially they were known for instrumental music (most famously Cissy Strut) but they later branched out to record vocal music as well, including 1974's Rejuvenation. Along the way, they did some sideman gigs with the likes of Mr. Addicted to Love himself Robert Palmer - check out How Much Fun. (That bouncy, rolling piano fill at the beginning of the song is one of Art's trademarks.) They also found themselves working with the aforementioned Good Doctor on his record In The Right Place - the funk represents deeply on the tune Peace Brother Peace.
Infighting led to the dissolution of the Meters, but Art joined forces with fellow Nevilles Cyril, Aaron (he of terminal falsetto), and Charles to form the Neville Brothers, carrying on the New Orleans funk tradition where the Meters left off (and garnering some commercial success along the way, with the help of a Daniel Lanois prodution effort - Yellow Moon - title track.)
In the early 90s, the Meters 2.0 - officially known as the Funky Meters - featuring original members Art and George - starting performing some of the old material and reminding audiences of the funk.
The Neville Brothers traditionally close out The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival with Aaron's rendition of "Amazing Grace" followed by their take on some gospel, spiritual-tinged music. It sounds something like this. Today the world is a little less funky. Let us all pour one out for Art.
Oops - meant to include a link to a tune from "Rejuvenation". Here's Hey Pocky Way - note the same rolling piano lick at the top of the tune. Behold Art.
posted by fingers_of_fire at 4:20 PM on July 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by fingers_of_fire at 4:20 PM on July 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
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posted by Lawn Beaver at 4:36 PM on July 22, 2019
posted by Lawn Beaver at 4:36 PM on July 22, 2019
So much good music. I’ll miss him. Thanks, Art.
posted by Devils Rancher at 4:44 PM on July 22, 2019
posted by Devils Rancher at 4:44 PM on July 22, 2019
Never gonna see him again in concert and that makes me very sad. At least I have my recordings...
♪
posted by Mental Wimp at 5:15 PM on July 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
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posted by Mental Wimp at 5:15 PM on July 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
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posted by j_curiouser at 5:32 PM on July 22, 2019
posted by j_curiouser at 5:32 PM on July 22, 2019
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posted by Katjusa Roquette at 5:48 PM on July 22, 2019
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 5:48 PM on July 22, 2019
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posted by oneswellfoop at 5:54 PM on July 22, 2019
posted by oneswellfoop at 5:54 PM on July 22, 2019
Saw the Nevile Brothers at Tipitinas a few decades ago. Great show. They also a highlight of Jazz Fest. They are the reason many stayed around for the Sunday shows.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the Neville's playing with the Grateful Dead. Summer time fun.
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posted by AugustWest at 7:15 PM on July 22, 2019 [6 favorites]
I would be remiss if I did not mention the Neville's playing with the Grateful Dead. Summer time fun.
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posted by AugustWest at 7:15 PM on July 22, 2019 [6 favorites]
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posted by the sobsister at 7:32 PM on July 22, 2019
posted by the sobsister at 7:32 PM on July 22, 2019
I've seen the Funky Meters a few times. Truly amazing musical experiences.
The world is a lot less funky today.
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posted by Saxon Kane at 7:49 PM on July 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
The world is a lot less funky today.
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posted by Saxon Kane at 7:49 PM on July 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
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Saw them sometime in the early nineties, one of my favorite shows ever.
posted by octothorpe at 8:00 PM on July 22, 2019
Saw them sometime in the early nineties, one of my favorite shows ever.
posted by octothorpe at 8:00 PM on July 22, 2019
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posted by mikelieman at 8:13 PM on July 22, 2019
posted by mikelieman at 8:13 PM on July 22, 2019
Thanks for all the fun.
posted by mikelieman at 8:13 PM on July 22, 2019
posted by mikelieman at 8:13 PM on July 22, 2019
AugustWest you are a hero! I WAS AT THAT SHOW and I have been looking for video of it for years! Let me tell you - I've been to maybe 300 or 400 shows in my 40+ year concert-going career - I've seen Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Paul McCartney, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Prince, Michael Jackson, Radiohead, Bruce Springsteen, Allen Toussaint, The Police - significant artists by any measure in a variety of genres. But I have NEVER experienced the level of energy felt in that auditorium when Jerry Garcia said "We ran in to some of our friends The Neville Brothers." The place was OFF. THE. CHAIN. What a massive find.
(Incidentally, I would see the Nevilles sit in with the Dead on 2 further occasions, and it never got anywhere near the energy of this show in Pittsburgh. But the best Nevilles show I saw was the following year, in '88, also, coincidentally, in Pittsburgh, at an outdoor venue. As far as I know it was just a regular gig for them but good lord it was the finest music I had heard live in my life at that point.)
posted by fingers_of_fire at 9:26 PM on July 22, 2019 [6 favorites]
(Incidentally, I would see the Nevilles sit in with the Dead on 2 further occasions, and it never got anywhere near the energy of this show in Pittsburgh. But the best Nevilles show I saw was the following year, in '88, also, coincidentally, in Pittsburgh, at an outdoor venue. As far as I know it was just a regular gig for them but good lord it was the finest music I had heard live in my life at that point.)
posted by fingers_of_fire at 9:26 PM on July 22, 2019 [6 favorites]
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posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 1:29 AM on July 23, 2019
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 1:29 AM on July 23, 2019
Feel good music, I've been told
Is good for your body, good for your soul
We lost a great. I was introduced to the Meters by my Bass teacher who considers George Porter Jr to be one of the four of his heroes. My Spotify playlist is getting a workout today.
♪
posted by indianbadger1 at 10:59 AM on July 23, 2019 [2 favorites]
Is good for your body, good for your soul
We lost a great. I was introduced to the Meters by my Bass teacher who considers George Porter Jr to be one of the four of his heroes. My Spotify playlist is getting a workout today.
♪
posted by indianbadger1 at 10:59 AM on July 23, 2019 [2 favorites]
I was introduced to the Meters by my Bass teacher who considers George Porter Jr to be one of the four of his heroes.
Did you see this?
posted by thelonius at 5:08 PM on July 23, 2019
Did you see this?
posted by thelonius at 5:08 PM on July 23, 2019
Thelonius, Thanks. I had not seen it. I did try to learn that in one of my classes. I gave up halfway, because I just could not do it. :)
posted by indianbadger1 at 7:27 AM on July 25, 2019
posted by indianbadger1 at 7:27 AM on July 25, 2019
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posted by suelac at 4:18 PM on July 22, 2019