New Orleans is mourning the death on Friday of Charles Neville, saxophonist and ever-smiling presence in the Neville Brothers band from 1977 to 2015. Charles was a focal point with his brothers Cyril, Art and Aaron in the family band that became one of the city’s most successful and celebrated musical groups. For years, they were a fixture of the New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival. Neville died at home in Huntington, Massachusetts.He moved to New England in the 1990s, returning frequently to his hometown for performances and family reunions. In a 2011 concert at Angel Park in Williamsburg, MA, he and bassist Tyler Heydolph played Horace Silver’s “Song For My Father.â€
The close attention Neville paid to Heydolph’s solo was typical of his bandstand relationships. For more about his life and music, see New England Public Radio’s obituary.
Charles Neville, RIP.