Louisiana Triple Bill Explores Sounds of South

The Hollywood Bowl moved Wednesday from L.A. to La. This musical trip south was like a tour that lets travelers stop long enough to glimpse key scenic vistas, but not explore each destination’s defining nooks and crannies.

The occasion was a Louisiana triple bill teaming the pop music explorations of the Neville Brothers and Dr. John with the blues of Buddy Guy.

Each got 45 to 55 minutes on stage, barely enough time to limber up before saying good night.

Guy, who relocated from his native state to Chicago 40 years ago, won the crowd with the anything-to-please stage persona that long ago elbowed the music to the back burner. He’d let loose a haunting vocal cry or a stinging guitar lick, then lose the musical moment with a wisecrack or gimmicky gesture, as if to say, “Don’t worry, we won’t get carried away.” The blues, however, is all about being carried away--with joy, to love, or from hurt.

Art, Aaron, Charles and Cyril Neville closed the evening with a sampling of the deliciously catholic music they’ve been making together and individually for four decades. Saxophonist Charles put the signature Neville-ized spin on “Old Man River,” shifting from a bouncy, R&B-soaked; verse to a dreamy bridge and back again, fleshing out the melody with jazz-inflected improvisations.

For Dr. John’s opening set, the always colorful singer-pianist relied on a stripped-down, guitar-bass-drums backing. The punchy horn arrangements central to so many of his recordings may have been missing, but his inspired melding of New Orleans--thus American--musical traditions came through with glorious clarity.