Royal Southern Brotherhood

The Royal Southern Brotherhood is a Southern rock, blues, R&B, and soul supergroup of sorts, with a pedigree that is pretty impressive. Any group that brings together Cyril Neville (of The Neville Brothers), Devon Allman (son of Gregg Allman), and Mike Zito (a rising blues guitar hero) definitely merits interest from fans of Southern rock and New Orleans music.

Royal Southern Brotherhood goes beyond the expected to create a supple yet gritty sound laced with an expansive jam-band spirit. After some 40 years in the business, Neville could play the elder statesman here. Instead, he gets down and funky with passionate idealism. Allman does his family name proud with his tender-to-fiery guitar work. Mike Zito: the blues ace whose ear for melody provides the counterpoint to his wingman’s rocking tendencies. Bassist Charlie Wooten and drummer Yonrico Scott: both heavyweight names in their own right, with Charlie’s bass chops celebrated on the Southern jam scene for his sets with the Woods Brothers, and Yonrico hitting the skins for luminaries including the Derek Trucks Band, Gregg Allman and the Allman Brothers themselves.

All five members give the impression that they’ve been around the block a few times and have nothing left to prove to anyone. The vibe is almost tangible--If you like your soul with attitude, jump on the RSB bus.