Arts and Entertainment Neville Brother Comes to Ace's January 22

BRADENTON — Charles Neville, the second oldest Neville brother, will do a one-night show at Ace's in West Bradenton on Thursday, January 22. Charles, a Grammy Award-winning saxophone player, is the only brother to have lived away from New Orleans for long stretches of his life, has perhaps the most diverse musical background of the four.

By the time he was 15, he had quit school, and was on the road with Gene Franklin & the Houserockers - part of a traveling variety show. After the tour, Charles returned to New Orleans to play in the house band of the famous Dew Drop Inn.

Soon after, he and big brother Art decided to join the Navy in order to see the world, but Charles ended up as a mechanic in Memphis, which would lead him to the Beale Street blues scene where he would befriend B.B. King and expand his musical horizons.

Returning home to New Orleans, Charles found more opportunities to play live music, but became disgusted by the racist southern attitudes of the time and headed out to New York City, where he would again expand his repertoire playing with a broad variety of famous musical acts before returning in 1976 for the formation of the world-famous Neville Brothers with Art and younger brothers Aaron and Cyril.

Neville will be appearing with Gent Treadly, legends of the Grateful Dead jam-band genre, whom he frequently collaborates with. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Visit the club's website for more info.