Aaron Neville

You don’t forget this voice, once you hear it. It’s staggering to witness that delicately vibrating and superbly soulful sound coming out of a body you don’t want to argue with. What’s more, it lends itself as easily to tough funk and rolling rock, old school doo-wop and soul as to mellow country and tear-jerking ballads. Having recently signed with Blue Note, Aaron is currently making a new doo-wop album with Don Was and Keith Richards producing. In Pori we will probably get tasters of the new record among the old favourites.

Aaron Neville was born in New Orleans, in 1941, into a famous musical family line, like his brothers Art, Charles and Cyril, with whom he makes up the mighty Neville Brothers band. The latter has given us many great albums, and a couple of great gigs in Pori, too. Aaron’s solo career, however, started before the Neville Brothers, when his single Tell It Like It Is hit the US R&B chart at nr 1 and the pop chart at nr 2 in 1966. Coming out a little later Hercules also turned into a soul classic. Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind (1989) was a joint venture with Linda Ronstadt in ballad mode. It included two megahits and made Aaron a super star. Luckily he hasn’t forgotten his roots: his two latest albums, Bring It On Home and I Know I’ve Been Changed offer soul classics and gospel in a down-to-earth set-up.
Hurricane Katrina destroyed Aaron’s home in 2005, but recently he, having actively participated in rebuilding his beloved and unique home town, settled back in New Orleans.