Royal Southern Brotherhood melds two legendary family names

(this piece was published by Planet JH Weekly)New Orleans supergroup Royal Southern Brotherhood hit the ground running right out of the gate in 2012. Their self-titled debut album not only debuted at number five on the Billboard Blues Chart and was nominated for Rock Blues Album of the Year by the Blues Music Awards, but the overall reception was arms wide open. What else would you expect when you bring together a Neville and an Allman?This lineup has talent to burn, and here’s why. Considered by some as the South’s last great soul singer, Cyril Neville is not only a former member of The Meters and one of the talented Neville Brothers, he’s also a poet, philosopher and percussion master. Devon Allman holds a strong name as well as an inherited blues voice as the son of Gregg Allman. A compression-loving ripper of a guitarist, Mike Zito won Best Rock Blues Album at the 2011 Blues Music Awards for his album, Greyhound. You know drummer Yonrico Scott as the master skin slapper for luminaries Derek Trucks Band, Gregg Allman and The Allman Brothers. And bassist Charlie Wooton (no relation to Victor) can pull off syncopated lines ala Jaco Pastorius and is also a member of Bonerama and Charlie Wooton Project.After perusing some of their recent shows via YouTube, the quintet is Stones-heavy in it’s repertoire beyond self-pinned material, including powerful versions of “Sweet Virginia,” “Gimme Shelter,” “Happy,” and "Hip Shake" alongside the Dead’s “Fire on the Mountain.” The Southern rock-blues-funk pot is in full stir, propelled by genuine voices, a monster backbeat, and the soaring leads of Zito.Notice the new sound rig at the Center Theater—what did sound great, sounds better. Royal Southern Brotherhood, 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Center Theater. $30. JHCenterForTheArts.org, 733-4900.