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Cyril Neville - Brand New Blues
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Funkified Delta-bred blues for a new century to resonate with even the most hardened traditionalist. By Al Hensley.
CYRIL NEVILLE
Brand New Blues
MC Records/Only Blues Music
61 year-old Cyril Neville, the youngest of celebrated New Orleans funksters the Neville Brothers, began singing professionally in 1967. As the blues continued to evolve in New Orleans, it always remained at the core of Neville's eclectic musical alchemy whether singing and playing percussion with his family band, his Uptown Allstars or the Meters. On this, his first solo CD since 2000, and arguably his best since 1995's The Fire This Time, Neville's agenda on human rights, socio-political hypocrisy and wetlands preservation is an inspiration for five well-chosen non-original songs and another five co-written with album producer Brian J of New York City's the Pimps Of Joytime. While staying true to the blues in its pure and basic form, Brian J brings a fresh, avant-garde approach to the music, blending Neville's soul, R&B and world music influences with traces of jazz, hip-hop and swamp funk.
A multi-talented musician, Brian J plays most of the instruments heard here including some soul-drenched guitar. His arrangements are unobtrusive, economical and cleverly placed for maximum effect. Neville is also joined by such Louisiana musical alumni as brother Art and nephew Ivan on organ, nephew Ian and Tab Benoit on guitars, Jumpin' Johnny Sansone on harp and Waylon Thibodeaux on washboard. From the opening bars of Jimmy Reed's 'I Found Joy', through Brook Benton's 'I'll Take Care Of You' and a slow blues reading of Bob Marley's 'Slave Driver', Neville's expressive voice is as rich as ever, evoking the soulful strains of Taj Mahal and the emotive timbre of Bobby Bland. The aptly-titled album is funkified Delta-bred blues for a new century that will resonate with even the most hardened traditionalist.
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