Musician. A saxophonist, his career began in the 1950’s when he performed with B.B. King and other musical greats. Yet he was best known for three decades of performances with his siblings Aaron, Art and Cyril as the Grammy-winning Neville Brothers band. His saxophone drove many of their biggest hits. The band was formed in 1976 and gained fans with high-energy performances featuring a distinctive fusion of funk, jazz and New Orleans rhythm and blues. They took part in the recording session of The Wild Tchoupitoulas, a Mardi Gras Indian group led by the Nevilles' uncle, George Landry ("Big Chief Jolly"). In 1988, the group released Uptown from EMI featuring guests including Branford Marsalis, Keith Richards, and Carlos Santana. The following year saw the release of Yellow Moon from A&M Records produced by Daniel Lanois. The track "Healing Chant" from that album won best pop instrumental performance of the Grammy Awards. His death came a day before the opening of his home town's signature musical and cultural event, the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival He died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Musician. A saxophonist, his career began in the 1950’s when he performed with B.B. King and other musical greats. Yet he was best known for three decades of performances with his siblings Aaron, Art and Cyril as the Grammy-winning Neville Brothers band. His saxophone drove many of their biggest hits. The band was formed in 1976 and gained fans with high-energy performances featuring a distinctive fusion of funk, jazz and New Orleans rhythm and blues. They took part in the recording session of The Wild Tchoupitoulas, a Mardi Gras Indian group led by the Nevilles' uncle, George Landry ("Big Chief Jolly"). In 1988, the group released Uptown from EMI featuring guests including Branford Marsalis, Keith Richards, and Carlos Santana. The following year saw the release of Yellow Moon from A&M Records produced by Daniel Lanois. The track "Healing Chant" from that album won best pop instrumental performance of the Grammy Awards. His death came a day before the opening of his home town's signature musical and cultural event, the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival He died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Bio by: Babe
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