Charmaine Neville

Charmaine Neville
Neville on Mardi Gras Day 2007
Neville on Mardi Gras Day 2007
Background information
Born
Charmaine Neville

(1956-03-31) March 31, 1956 (age 69)
OriginUnited States
GenresJazz, funk
OccupationSinger
InstrumentVocals

Charmaine Neville (born March 31, 1956) is a New Orleans-based jazz singer.[1][2]

Biography

Raised Catholic, she is the daughter of Charles Neville of The Neville Brothers.[2][3]

She is the lead singer of the Charmaine Neville Band, a jazz and funk band based in New Orleans.[4] Other musicians in the Charmaine Neville Band include Amasa Miller, Detroit Brooks, Gerald French and Jesse Boyd.

Neville was in the news due to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina,[1] when the failure of the Federal levees swamped the city of New Orleans. Media reported her tale of witnessing cannibalism, alligator attacks, rape and eventual escape via a commandeered transit bus.[5][6]

Solo albums

  • (1992) It's About Time
  • (1992) All the Way Live at Snug Harbor
  • (1996) Up Up Up
  • (1996) Live at Bourbon Street Music Club (aka Live in Brazil)
  • (1998) Queen of the Mardi Gras
  • (2007) Jazz Fest Live 2007

Album contributions

  • (1981) The Neville Brothers "Fiyo On The Bayou"
  • (1988) "New New Orleans Music: Jump Jazz" with Ramsay McLean and the Survivors
  • (1992) The Reggie Houston – Amasa Miller Trio "The Gazebo Sessions"
  • (1992) "Christmas In New Orleans – R&B, Jazz and Gospel"
  • (1996) Andrei Codrescu "Valley of Christmas"
  • (2000) "New Prohibition" compilation
  • (2000) Marva Wright "Marva"
  • (2001) Freddy Omar "Latin Party in New Orleans"
  • (2006) Nils Lofgren and Joe Sample "Creole Love Call"
  • (2006) Mitch Woods "Big Easy Boogie"
  • (2007) James "12" Andrews and The Crescent City Allstars "People Get Ready Now"

Theatre

Year(s) Production Role(s) Theater Notes Ref.
2011 Cats Grizabella Anthony Bean Community Theater July 22 - 31 [7][8]

References

  1. ^ a b Burnett, John (December 21, 2005). "More Stories Emerge of Rapes in Post-Katrina Chaos". NPR.
  2. ^ a b Mitchell, Greg (September 7, 2005). "Charmaine Neville's New Orleans Story: Horror and Heroism". Editor & Publisher.
  3. ^ "Charmaine Neville". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2016. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016.
  4. ^ "Charmaine Neville Band performing at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival". axs.com. March 24, 2014. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  5. ^ A Survivor's Story. Spike.com. September 7, 2005. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
  6. ^ Britt, Donna (28 April 2006). "Charmaine Neville Stands by Story of Rapes, Alligator Attacks during Katrina". 9 News Extra.
  7. ^ Coviello, Will (20 July 2011). "Kids star in Cats, Seussical, Guys and Dolls". Gambit. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  8. ^ Cook, Maryann; Pinera, Glenn (20 July 2011). "'Cats' at the Anthony Bean Theater and Tales of the Cocktail opens on Wednesday in New Orleans". NOLA.com. The Times-Picayune. Retrieved 25 September 2025.