JAZZ AND POP REVIEWS : Neville Bros. Leave It on Cruise Control

The Neville Brothers, who performed at the sold-out Wadsworth Theatre in Westwood on Friday night, have gotten awfully lazy.

Not that their show didn’t rouse the audience, because it did, judging from the way most of the fans were dancing and obviously having a grand time grooving to the grab-bag of R&B;, rock, jazz and pop.

But the Nevilles--Aaron, Art, Charles and Cyril--seemed to be on cruise control most of the time. If you ever saw this New Orleans band perform in the late ‘70s or early ‘80s--particularly in a club--Friday’s show was a snoozer by comparison.

The problem is that the Nevilles have become shamelessly mainstream. Much of the time, their show was like a very good lounge act--entertaining but not very challenging. For one thing, they devoted way too much time to classic oldies, from “Daddy’s Home” to “Johnny B. Goode.” Also, the soul-jazz instrumentals, featuring Charles’ sax solos, were woefully facile.

In the old days you could go to a Nevilles show and routinely be bowled over by their creative energy and dazzling musicianship. But in recent years, they’ve opted for the safe and familiar. In songs like “Sister Rosa” and “Fiyo on the Bayou,” there was slickness and efficiency but not much urgency. And on his ballads, Aaron aimed for easy targets--sweetness and poignancy--using his formidable falsetto as an instrument of schlock.

Friday’s show, like any Nevilles show was good, unless you remember the brothers when they were really good.