This Wednesday, August 28, WWOZ 90.7FM in New Orleans will air “Art Neville’s 13th Ward Bag,” a radio program not broadcast since 1981.
The special airing pays tribute to the late music icon, who died on July 22, 2019. Hosted by Jerry Brock and Melissa “DJ Soul Sister” Weber, the 90-minute WWOZ program hosted by a then 43-year-old Neville will air on live radio from 2 to 4 p.m. and become available in the WWOZ online archive for two weeks thereafter.
“Art Neville’s 13th Ward Bag” is so titled in honor of Neville’s childhood neighborhood in New Orleans. Recorded at the WWOZ studios above Tipitina’s in the 13th Ward, the program features a mix of music played by Neville. Acts included in his playlist are the Neville Brothers, the Meters, the Hawkettes, Chuck Willis, Wild Magnolias, and a few unreleased songs.
According to WWOZ, a decision was made to share the program with listeners after Neville’s death. Brock, who engineered the original program, will be in the studio to share insight into Neville’s relationship with WWOZ and more. Weber, who was recently named curator of the Hogan Jazz Archive at Tulane University, will serve as co-host.
“Art’s approach as a deejay also attests to his work as a sound engineer, recording artist, record producer and discerned listener,” says Brock. “He purposely shared material that he knew had never been released. I’m certain that Art wanted to sit in his home or drive in his car and hear
these recordings over the medium of radio as part of his own research and study of sound recordings and work as a WWOZ volunteer program host. There was Art, the always student, open to learning, new ideas and new approaches.”
He continues, “If Art had produced more than just this one radio program he would have grown more comfortable, loosened up some and probably become one of the most gifted programmers to ever emerge from WWOZ. His previous commitments to his family and career didn’t allow him this opportunity but he knew the door was always open and he continued to support the radio station for many years.”
“Rebroadcasting this unique moment in WWOZ’s history is a great way for us to give listeners a special window into Art Neville’s personality and love of music,” says WWOZ’s General Manager Beth Arroyo Utterback. “And it reinforces our feeling that Art was a member of the WWOZ family — he wasn’t just a great pillar of New Orleans music, he was even a WWOZ show host! He was one of us. And we’re thrilled to have the legendary Jerry Brock, one of our founders, who engineered the original recording, on hand to share this with the world.”
“This a great example of WWOZ’s ongoing close relationship with the Archive of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation,” said WWOZ’s Director of Content Dave Ankers. “This recording is one of thousands from WWOZ’s long history that have been collected, preserved, and later digitized, so that these important moments aren’t lost. And as a result we can bring you back to that Sunday morning with Art Neville above Tipitina’s, almost 40 years later.”
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