Though written by Franz Schubert in 1825, no one performed the song “Ave Maria” better, at least to New Orleanians whose tastes are infused with rhythm and blues, than Aaron Neville.
To see Neville, a tough looking guy, whose many tattoos include a crude looking dagger on his left cheek, but whose singing can be angelic is an inspiration in itself. His run sheet in life includes serving six months in Orleans Parish prison for car theft and later a stint for burglary plus problems with heroin addiction, but his list of musical hits includes four Grammys.
Maria was also the subject of another one of Neville’s spirituals, “Lovely Lady in Blue.” And, St. Jude, the patron of hopeless cases has also been a favorite. Among Neville’s albums is “Mid-Night at St. Jude’s,” a 1993 recording of a star-studded performance mass held at the church.
Neville’s story and his survival earned him recognition in some very high places. In 2015, Notre Dame presented him its Laetare Medal, the university’s oldest and most prestigious honor given to an American Catholic. Reverend John L. Jenkins, Notre Dame’s president said of Neville, he “proudly embraces and honors his faith through his God-given musical talents. Trough tumultuous times in his life, Aaron turned to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Jude for strength, forgiveness and salvation. His example of repentance and devotion shine bright for all who see him perform.”
Neville’s singing is incredible because of his wide-ranging falsetto. For “Ave Maria,” the performance is extra extraordinary because it is sung in Latin. However, you do not need to understand the language to sense the passion in the message.
Each Good Friday, Catholic churches are open for visitations, because of the tradition of worshippers going to seven churches.
Among the more interesting stops was Our Lady Star of the Sea Church (now closed) in the St. Roch neighborhood. Setting the mood as visitors entered was a continuous recording of Neville’s “Ave Maria.” The song embraces the pain of the crucifixion yet the joy of a birth at Christmas. Like the musical range of his voice, the composition’s range covers the spiritual calendar.
Church music influenced many young performers whose skills, like Neville’s, would be honed for rhythm and blues. That included the late Johnny Adams, a New Orleanian known affectionately as “The Tan Canary” who performed teenage romance rib hits, but also one of the best versions of “White Christmas.”
(Hint: If you don’t have the recordings, ask Siri or Alexa to play Neville’s “Ave Maria,” plus Johnny Adams’ “White Christmas.”)
Many of the best of New Orleans’ songs were written by great local writers such as Allen Toussaint. Too bad the Grammy did not exist in 1825, Neville might have won one for Franz Schubert, too.
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BOOK ANNOUNCEMENTS: Errol’s Laborde’s new book, “When Rex Met Zulu: And Other Chronicles of the New Orleans Experience,” (Pelican Publishing Company, 2024) is now available at local bookstores and websites.
Laborde’s other recent publications: “New Orleans: The First 300 Years” and “Mardi Gras: Chronicles of the New Orleans Carnival” (Pelican Publishing Company, 2017 and 2013), are available at the same locations.
WATCH INFORMED SOURCES, FRIDAYS AT 7 P.M., REPEATED AT 9:30 A.M. Sundays. WYES-TV, CH. 12.
