Neville Brothers Perform In Iowa City - Gordon

Saxophonist Charles Neville, of the iconic Neville Brothers, has been playing professionally since he was 15 years old. His musical background includes jazz, Blues, R&B, Soul, Gospel, Afro-Cuban and Funk. He brings all this to the table when the Neville Brothers share their "Crescent City" experience with adoring fans.

I spoke by phone with Charles about his influences, the New Orleans traditions, a life that seems perpetually on the road, "The Great Spirit", and the current national tour that brought them and New Orleans legend Dr. John to a sold out concert at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City Friday Night, Feb. 13.

Click here to listen to the interview.

KCCK's Lisa Baum meets Charles Neville backstage.

2-Bits for Jazz (real "change") - Gordon

The U.S. Mint has just issued it's first coin for mass circulation with the likeness of a jazz musician! The musician is Duke Ellington and the coin is the latest in the Mint's "Statehood Quarter" series. It's for the District of Columbia -another first! One side shows "The Duke" sitting next to a piano that bares his name with the words "Justice For All" (the motto for Washington D.C.)

Click here to view image.

Here's an idea: Next time you're at your bank ask for a $10.00 roll of the "DC" quarters and start spreading 'em around when you give change and tell people that the first musician ever to appear on a U.S. coin is a JAZZ MUSICIAN! If they don't know who he is (for some people that is sad, but true), please tell them to listen to KCCK (especially on Sunday mornings)so they can hear his music and find out why he's been elevated to such a enduring position in our day to day lives. The rest of us know his legacy will always be worth so much more than 25 cents!