Fiyo on the Bayou
The Neville Brothers, as a working unit, emerged as a result of 1976's magnificentWild Tchoupitoulasproject. On that album, the Brothers and theirMeterscohorts backed a group of tribal chiefs (including their uncle "Big Chief Jolly") singing traditional Mardi Gras "war songs" and marches. The Nevilles' 1978debutleft behind their New Orleans foundation and suffered because of it. However, 1981'sFiyorepresents the pinnacle of the Neville collective, a percolating mix of R&B;, soul, funk, and Caribbean rhythms that celebrates their Crescent City heritage. The standards, of course, are entrusted to Aaron's heavenly pipes, but it's the New Orleans anthems that would come to define both the band and the city.--Marc Greilsamer