APRIL
Some sources state that “Fiyo On The Bayou” was released in April of 1981. Late June is much more likely!!
APRIL 2
On this day in 1958, Art Neville, Charles “Hungry” Williams (drums), Charles Fairley (tenor sax), Alvin Tyler (baritone sax), Irving Charles (guitar), and Frank Fields (bass) gathered together at Cosimo Recording Studios to record: “Zing Zing,” https://youtu.be/agd2znxR-qk ; “Cha Dooky-Doo” https://youtu.be/By6_QPm5B5s; and “That Old Time Rock ‘N’ Roll” https://youtu.be/u6wS06TnYl0
APRIL 4
** GEORGE “BIG CHIEF JOLLY” LANDRY’S BIRTHDAY **
APRIL 4
1970 “Chicken Strut” by The Meters entered the R&B Chart in 1970; it went on to reach the #11 position (courtesy of Satchmo.com)
APRIL 4
The New Orleans Social Club’s “Sing Me Back Home” LP was released on this day in 2006. That album included contributions from Cyril Neville (“This Is My Country”), Ivan Neville (“Fortunate Son”), George Porter, Jr., Leo Nocentelli, and many others.
APRIL 5
Avalon (an American contemporary Christian vocal quartet from Nashville) performed “By Heart, By Soul” with surprise guest Aaron Neville at the 32nd Annual Dove Awards, April 5, 2001 at The Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee. https://youtu.be/OWXbEUxCdD8
APRIL 7
Cyril’s “Brand New Blues” was released on this day in 2009.
APRIL 13
On this day in 1993, the “Don’t Take Away My Heaven” cassette single was released. (A&M #580240) SIDE ONE – “Don’t Take Away My Heaven” (Remix); SIDE TWO – “Don’t Take Away My Heaven” (LP version) and “The Roadie Song” (LP version)
APRIL 14
On this day in 1992, the “Fly Like An Eagle” cassette single (A&M 75021 1599) was released. SIDE ONE – Two versions of “Fly…” (the LP version and the 7” remix); SIDE TWO – “Family Groove” (LP version) plus excerpts from “One More Day” and “Take Me To Heart”
APRIL 14
On this day in 2017, Adam Sandler’s motion picture “Sandy Wexler” was released via the Netflix streaming service. Aaron appears in the movie, portraying a character named Willie Clarke.
APRIL 15
According to Satchmo.com, “The single “Sister Rosa” by The Neville Brothers entered the Billboard R&B Chart [on this day] in 1989”
APRIL 16
On this day in 1990, the Nevilles performed “My Blood” and “Yellow Moon” at the “Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa” Concert (Wembley Stadium, Wembley, England, United Kingdom,) “to celebrate the release of Mandela, who had been imprisoned since 1962.” * Listen to an audio recording of that performance here: https://youtu.be/EjWReKxcm9c
Also appearing at the event: Anita Baker, Aswad, Ben Elton, Billy Bragg, Bonnie Raitt, Chrissie Hynde, Daniel Lanois, Denzel Washington, Desmond Tutu, George Duke, Jackson Browne, Johnny Clegg, Jungle Brothers, Labi Siffre, Little Steven, Lou Reed, Mica Paris, Miriam Makeba, Neil Young, Neneh Cherry, Patti Labelle, Peter Gabriel, Simple Minds, Stetsasonic, Terence Trent D’arby, Tracy Chapman, and Youssou N’dour. (as per https://www.concertarchives.org )
* (the above quote about the purpose for the event taken from (https://calendar.songfacts.com/april/16/9744)
APRIL 18
Aaron’s “The Tattooed Heart” was released on this day in 1995. The bonus track (“A Little Thing Called Life”) was included on Japanese and European pressings of “Tattooed Heart.” The Spanish pressing of “Tattooed Heart” included both “A Thing Called Life” and “With God On Our Side” (which is, most likely, the version found on “Yellow Moon.”)
APRIL 19
The release of Gaynielle Neville’s “Woman Power” was celebrated on this day in 2014 at the Maple Leaf in New Orleans. (The album was released two months earlier (on February 14.) https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/music/live-music-in-new-orleans-for-sat-april-19-2014-gaynielle-neville-mystikal/article_d8d7053e-8130-5cd5-94b1-ae5b030bfd65.html
APRIL 19
On this day in 1994, Sesame Street aired Episode 3242 during which Aaron performed “I Don’t Want To Live On The Moon” with Ernie the Muppet (voiced by Jim Henson.) https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_3242 The recording was released in the “Songs From The Street: 35 Years Of Music (The Ultimate Sesame Street Music Collection)” boxed set on September 2, 2003. https://youtu.be/2WsXtCPE7Ww
APRIL 19
The Neville Brothers’ “Live On Planet Earth” was released on this day in 1994.
APRIL 19
“Love Letters: The Allen Toussaint Sessions” (a compilation of Aaron’s late-60s, early-70s Sansu recordings) was released on this day in 2019.
APRIL 19
The Playing for Change video for “All Along The Watchtower” (featuring Ivan and Cyril) premiered on this day in 2019 https://relix.com/blogs/detail/video_premiere_playing_for_change_featuring_warren_haynes_ivan_neville_cyril_nevile_john_densmore_and_bombino/
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/-UHHc7POovg
APRIL 20
The “Bird on a Wire” cassette single was released on this day in 1990. SIDE ONE – “Bird on a Wire” (single version); SIDE TWO – “Yellow Moon” (live)
APRIL 20
Aaron’s “The Grand Tour” was released on this day in 1993. In the USA and Canada, the disc was released with 13 songs. A 14th track, “Ronnie-O” was included on CDs sold in Europe, Japan, Australia, South Africa, and Brazil.
APRIL 20
On this day in 2015, Billy Iuso’s “Overstanding” LP was released and featured one of Poppa Funk’s final recorded performances (on the album’s title track.) https://youtu.be/W61FJV3zG_k Art also had a hand in writing some of the song’s lyrics.
A press review on Iuso’s website https://billyiuso.com/press-reviews states that: “… The title track actually came together with the help of Iuso’s longtime friend Art Neville, who also contributed the bouncy organ part that seems to kick the album off in a burst of sunlight. ‘I had written most of that song, maybe 80 percent of it,’ Iuso said. ‘All of the music is me, and then Art came and played on it. I said ‘man, why don’t you help me finish the lyrics since you played on it?’ So I went over to his house one day and just sort of picked his brain and showed him what I had. He shouted out a few things, and they ended up being lyrics, so we wrote the song together.’ ‘Overstanding’ the song seems to set the tone for the whole album… Listen to that title track here: https://youtu.be/W61FJV3zG_k
APRIL 21
On this day in 2023, Ivan’s “Touch My Soul” LP was released. It was his first solo album in almost 20 years!!
APRIL 22
On this day in 1979, the super-group The New Barbarians had their debut performance at a benefit concert at the Oshawa Civic Auditorium in Ontario, Canada. The group was comprised of guitarist Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones/Faces; guitarist Keith Richards (Rolling Stones/X-pensive Winos); keyboardist Ian McLagan (Faces); saxophonist Bobby Keys (Rolling Stones/X-Pensive Winos); jazz, funk, pop bassist Stanley Clarke, and drummer Zigaboo Modeliste (The Meters.) Actor/comedian John Belushi was the MC for that performance.
The band played two concerts in Canada, eighteen shows across the United States in April and May 1979 and one show on January 16, 1980. In August 1979, they supported Led Zeppelin at the Knebworth Festival 1979. Zig played all but one of the shows (the January 16, 1980 show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.) Keith Richards and Stanley Clarke also had subs for that gig.
(I became aware of this anniversary, thanks to Satchmo.com!!!)
APRIL 22
“Tell It Like It Is: Golden Classics” on the Collectables label (Collectables #COL-5132) was released on this day in 1989. It was the first CD reissue of Aaron’s “Tell It Like It Is” LP. (The disc’s sound quality is unimpressive at best.)
APRIL 22
On this day in 2008, the digital-only release, “Heart & Soul Of New Orleans” (Brothers) was released. It was available through Amazon and i-Tunes. Allmusic.com indicates that it WAS released on compact disc (on the Neville Nation label) but I never saw a copy!
The songs on the EP are: “Fire on the Bayou,” “Voodoo,” “Africa,” “Fever,” “Caravan,” “Tipitina,” “Brother John” > “Iko Iko,” “Yellow Moon.” Sound quality is excellent and the performances were spot-on!!!! As with most digital releases, there was no information included about: the venue(s) where the disc was recorded; if it was a compilation of recordings from several shows or if it was a single performance; who the backing musicians were; etc. By doing some research, I learned that the bassist on this album is Ben Jones, who I never saw play with the Brothers; I’m unsure how long his tenure with the band was.
APRIL 23
On this day in 2021, Dumpstaphunk’s “Where Do We Go From Here” was released!
APRIL 24
According to Satchmo.com, after a long relationship with A&M Records, the Brothers signed with Columbia Records on this day in 1997. (The only album that resulted from this relationship was 1999’s “Valence Street.”)
APRIL 25
Aaron appeared on “Later with Bob Costas” on this day in 1992. He spoke about writing “Everyday” while in jail, being ripped off over “Tell It Like It Is,” working with Linda Ronstadt, the influence of Bill Graham, and more. https://youtu.be/VojWA4MP85A
APRIL 25
On this day in 1995, Aaron appeared on the soap opera “All My Children.” That appearance can be seen at: https://twitter.com/SoapsMusic/status/1197151444605915137
APRIL 26
On this day in 1996, the motion picture “Mulholland Falls” was released. Aaron portrays the “Night spot singer” in the movie and sings the 1930’s standard “Harbor Lights.” The soundtrack recording, including Aaron’s performance of that song was released about a month later on May 21, 1996. (Aaron is first audible around 08:09 into the movie and is first visible around 8:15. He is only visible for about 10 seconds, although the audio continues much longer.)
APRIL 26
“Tell It Like It Is” (on the Brentwood / ARM label) was released on CD on this day in 2005. The sound quality was a huge improvement over previous releases.
APRIL 28
Trombone Shorty’s “Parking Lot Symphony,” was released by Blue Note Records on this day in 2017. (Ivan played piano on “Here Come The Girls” https://youtu.be/z3a3RxVTuNc ; Leo Nocentelli played acoustic guitar on Shorty’s cover of the Meters’
“It Ain’t No Use” https://youtu.be/x_XdVxcON48
APRIL 29
A CONCERT FROM THE PALLADIUM IN NEW YORK CITY, NY WAS CAPTURED ON VIDEO ON THIS DAY IN 1987. The folks from Music Vault incorrectly state that the video is from Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. The end credits mention the Palladium, not the Giants Stadium. Since the listed venue is incorrect, I’m not sure if the date is correct either. https://youtu.be/4Pv0fx76hk4
APRIL 29
The Reuters article “Neville Brothers reign as first family of funk” (by Kim Ruehl) was published on this day in 2008. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nevilles/neville-brothers-reign-as-first-family-of-funk-idINN2941260420080429
APRIL 29
“Aaron Neville Tells It Like It Is”… An article published on this day in 2019…
https://www.whereyat.com/aaron-neville-tells-it-like-it-is
APRIL 29
On this day in 2019, Cyril Neville and Swamp Funk did an in-store performance at Louisiana Music Factory. Thanks to the Funkit Blog for preserving and sharing this performance (available in two parts on YouTube.) 1 – https://youtu.be/MRJZZu2Ulvg 2 – https://youtu.be/60OY_DCjvlY
APRIL 30
A Relix article, announcing the video of Playing For Change’s “Iko Iko” was published on this day in 2021. On one of his final recordings, Dr. John collaborated with Ivan Neville, George Porter, Jr, Donald Harrison, Jr., Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann (of the Grateful Dead), and more. https://relix.com/news/detail/in-one-of-his-final-recordings-dr-john-collaborates-with-mickey-hart-george-porter-jr-and-more-on-iko-iko-for-playing-for-change/
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