When it's Mardi Gras time in New Orleans, the Neville family is one of the busiest clans in town. Besides the annual multi-night stand by the Neville Brothers band, both Art Neville and Cyril Neville are busy holding down additional gigs with the funky Meters and the Uptown All-Stars, and Cyril stages an annual tribute to Big Chief Jolly and the Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indian tribe. "Any gig around Mardi Gras is a tribute to not just Chief Jolly, but the whole Mardi Gras Indian scene, and like Big Chief Bo Dollis says, that's the soul of Mardi Gras," says Cyril Neville. "Every time I perform during Mardi Gras, it's like gospel to me, and it doesn't get more spiritual than that." This year, the Neville Brothers' concerts on Sunday and Monday, Feb. 10-11, at House of Blues (225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE) will feel even more like a family reunion -- it's the first shows where keyboardist Art Neville returns to the fold after recuperating from back surgery in the fall of 2001. "That's the biggest plus about these shows for me, to have Art back on the other side of the stage," says Cyril. "Art is a pillar of funk of the house of Neville, and it's going to make a big difference, spirit-wise. Plus, he's the original Poppa Funk, the funkiest keyboard player ever." The Neville Brothers isn't the only group benefiting from Art's return; Neville's Hammond B-3 licks will be working a funky miracle on Friday, Feb. 8 at the Howlin' Wolf (828 S. Peters St., 522-WOLF), with his fellow funky Meters bandmates George Porter Jr., Brian Stoltz and Russell Batiste. In keeping with the Carnival tradition and Nevilles' legacy, Cyril's gig on Thursday, Feb. 7, at Mama's Blues (616 North Rampart St., 488-4463) celebrates one of the most important chapters in the Nevilles' career. His annual tribute to Big Chief Jolly and the Wild Tchoupitoulas celebrates the landmark 1976 album that reunited the brothers on a program of classic Mardi Gras Indian songs. "We do a lot of the stuff from the Wild Tchoupitoulas CD, and me and (drummer) Willie Green and (bassist) Nick Daniels and (percussionist) Chief Smiley Ricks take those songs and turn them inside out." Listen for the new tribute song "Chief Jolly," which Neville recently recorded with rapper Brick. "It's a hip-hop and Mardi Gras Indian vibe, and we're bringing the Mardi Gras vibe into the new millennium." Cyril and his band the Uptown All-Stars open for Dr. John at Tipitina's (501 Napoleon Ave., 895-8477) on Saturday, Feb. 9. -- Scott Jordan

9th Annual Tribute to the Classical Arts 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Monteleone Hotel, 214 Royal St., 486-5900, ext. 160 While the Tribute to the Classical Arts is that rare moment when the classical-arts community gets its proper due, many overlook the quality of the performances that delight the attendees each year. So while guests are finishing up their lunch, a slew of nominated performers reinforce the quality of the arts in this city. This year features performances from the Loyola Opera Workshop under the direction of Carol Rausch, Joseph LeDasma III from the New Orleans School of Irish Dance, Gabrielle Pickard and company doing a selection from "A Confederacy of Dances," and The American Dreamer medley from the Trinity Artist Series' Independence Day program. Gambit Communications Inc. Chairman Clancy DuBos will serve as master of ceremonies. The Tribute is sponsored by Gambit Weekly, WWNO-FM (89.9), Smith & Wollensky Restaurant, CCs Coffee, the Monteleone Hotel, Werlein's for Music, Coleman E. Adler & Sons, and Uptown Costume & Dancewear. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling 486-5900, ext. 160. -- David Lee Simmons

Masters of Groove featuring Reuben Wilson, Bernard Purdie, and Grant Green Jr. 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5 House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE They aren't household names, but their grooves are in households across the world. No matter what you call it -- soul-jazz, chitlin' soul, funky R&B, acid-jazz -- the sounds of organist Reuben Wilson and drummer Bernard Purdie powered some of the most memorable moments in '60s and '70s roots music. Purdie drummed for everyone from King Curtis and James Brown to Aretha Franklin, while Wilson recorded throbbing instrumental albums for Blue Note, which also featured trumpeter Lee Morgan and legendary guitarist Grant Green. Now Purdie's stickwork and Wilson's bubbling Hammond B-3 waves are some of the most sampled sounds among nouveau soul-jazz outfits like A Tribe Called Quest and Brand New Heavies. For this gig, the two veterans are paired with a younger kindred spirit -- guitarist Grant Green Jr., whose lithe, serpentine lines are a testament to his father's sound and influence. Tickets $12. -- Jordan

European Carnival 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 Pontchartrain Center, 4545 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 523-6530 Conductor Timothy Muffitt has gained quite a following for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra's Casual Classics series -- performances geared to take audiences on a musical journey. And for this week, where else to go but on an international tour of Carnival-inspired works, with a particular emphasis on some eastern European greats. Though the composers and titles may not be instantly recognizable to all, many will be familiar because of their inclusion in movies and television. The program starts with Bohemian-born Antonin Dvorak's "Carnival," followed by Franz Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2." The non-cerebral charm of Hungarian Bela Bartok comes next, with his "Rumanian Folk Dances" discernable to fans of the movie Titanic. Dvorak's "Slavonic Dance" precedes Zoltan Kodaly's "Galanta Dances" and Georges Enesco's "Rumanian Rhapsody No. 1" to the night's conclusion. Tickets range from $7 to $22 and can be purchased through the LPO's box office (523-6530) or online at www.lpomusic.com. -- Frank Etheridge

Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles featuring Brian Stoltz 10 p.m. and midnight Friday, Feb. 8 Funky Butt, 714 N. Rampart St., 558-0872 Since his split from the Wild Magnolias, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux has focused on revitalizing his Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indian band -- and he's pulled it off with an A-list group of New Orleans musicians. Funky Meters guitarist Brian Stoltz is the new Golden Eagles bandleader, and he's backed by Neville Brothers associates Doug Belote on drums and Nick Daniels on bass. Boudreaux is also joined by his son Joseph Boudreaux and Irving Bannister on vocals and percussion. It makes for a sound where Boudreaux's traditional Indian chants are front and center in a thick pocket of contemporary New Orleans funk. The repertoire includes favorites such as "Lightning and Thunder," "Sew, Sew, Sew," and "Shotgun Joe." And since it's Carnival season, it's a safe bet that Boudreaux will be masking for this show, with his suit shining as a symbol of his reverence for Indian pride. Admission $10. -- Jordan

Galactic's 'Carnival Electricos' 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9 Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp St., 528-3800 If any band knows how to throw a huge Mardi Gras party, it's Galactic. Whether it's trapeze artists, fire-eaters, or glow-in-the-dark costumes, our local neo-funk superstars always have a plethora of audio-visual novelties for a special event. This time, Galactic is hosting its own open-air Mardi Gras party at the CAC with performances by G. Love and Special Sauce, Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indians, and world-class DJ trio Triple Threat. Re-entry is allowed, so patrons can check out the parades on Lee Circle at whim. With Mardi Gras Indians on one hand, and turntablists on the other, Carnival Electricos will synthesize tradition with the cutting edge, presenting the rootsy and the high tech in one dynamic package. The show will reach outer space proportions around 7 p.m., when Galactic engages in an all-out jam session with the Golden Eagles and Triple Threat. Tickets $25. -- Cristina Diettinger

Idris Muhammad and Donald Harrison 9 and 11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 Snug Harbor, 626 Frenchmen St., 949-0696 Donald Harrison Jr. (pictured) joins Idris Muhammad for two shows at Snug Harbor on Saturday. If you think you've never heard Idris Muhammad's playing, think again. A Thirteenth Ward native reared in the Neville Brothers/Meters vein of street-beat funk, Muhammad's drumming laid the syncopated foundation for an astonishing set of famous hits, including favorites by Lee Dorsey, Sam Cooke and Curtis Mayfield. He lent his signature New Orleans style to funky jazz in the '60s with Lou Donaldson, and worked with other jazz greats like Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Paul Chambers and McCoy Tyner. For this gig, he's teaming up with New Orleans native alto saxophonist Donald Harrison Jr. Son of the late Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr. and an alumni of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, his progressive jazz work wows critics the world over by drawing on funk, swing, dancehall, and even hip-hop. This performance will exemplify the staying power of the New Orleans tradition, with funky, rhythm-based music that transcends generation gaps and stylistic boundaries. Admission $18. -- Diettinger

Morning 40 Federation and Supagroup 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 The Howlin' Wolf , 828 S. Peters St., 522-WOLF In the dirty, sweaty, drunken midst of Mardi Gras weekend, it's good to know that you can get even dirtier, sweatier, and drunker with two of the hardest-rocking bands in town. The creators of a moral philosophy based on mandatory consumption of a 40-oz. beer in the a.m., Morning 40 Federation has more songs about drinking than you can shake a stick at. Their swaggering, horn-driven funk-rock was practically made for Mardi Gras, and if one of the band members happens to collapse on stage during the show, well, it's all part of the fun. For this blowout, the 40s will trade sets with local hard-rock savior Supagroup. Relentlessly perpetrating hair-shaking riffs with the amp up past 10, Supagroup is cock rock to be reckoned with. Led by brothers Benji and Chris Lee, Supagroup's show is a deliciously electric antithesis of all the traditional music that goes on during Carnival. Tickets $25. -- Diettinger

Post-Bacchus Bash featuring Better Than Ezra, Cowboy Mouth 9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10 Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp St., 528-3805 Better Than Ezra (pictured) joins Cowboy Mouth for a post-Bacchus Bash on Sunday at the CAC. With modern-rock bands coming and going like musical one-night stands, it would have been easy to dismiss Better Than Ezra after its string of radio-friendly hits appeared to wane following the dismal showing (and promotion) of 1998's How Does Your Garden Grow? WEA/Elektra dropped the trio, and that appeared to be that. Then came Universal's Beyond label, which scooped up BTE and released last year's frighteningly infectious effort, Closer, with its Beckish gadgets and countless pop hooks. "Extraordinary," featuring guest DJ Swamp, was one of the absolute best summertime hits, so it's good to see the former Baton Rougeans and adopted New Orleans sons back in the swing of things. And with national bands easing up on the New Orleans route for their tours (the economy being in the funk it's in), it's neat to see this unique pairing for Mardi Gras with another burst of pop-rock bombast in the form of Cowboy Mouth. (Ask them about label woes.) Tickets are $25 and are available through TicketWeb (299-TWEB) and Ticketmaster (522-5555). -- Simmons

Lundi Gras in Rivertown Noon Monday, Feb. 11 Rivertown Exhibition Hall & Atrium, 415 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 468-7231 This fourth annual Rivertown gathering honors current Mardi Gras royalty while also taking guests down memory lane. The 2002 King and Queen Zulu, Louis "Tony" Williams and Dierdre M. Williams, appear with King and Queen Argus, Michael A. Roppolo III and Ashleigh Lynne Gilley. Admission to the Mardi Gras Museum will be free and during its Lundi Gras hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additional Mardi Gras cheer comes courtesy of tunes offered by Mike Teifer "Off the Record" Mobile DJ, the Regal Jazz & Brass Band, and Casa Samba. Traditional Mardi Gras food will be served leading up to a 1:15 p.m. toast on the steps of Rivertown Exhibition Hall by the Zulu and Argus royalty. The kings and queens will then lead a mini-parade and second line supported by three floats and the bands to La Salle's landing at the river before embarking for New Orleans. -- Etheridge

Bodyworks: Mixed media by Ila Berman and Michelle Fornabai Through March 24 Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp Street, 528-3805 We've all seen it at one time or another -- that Renaissance drawing of a male figure -- you know, the naked guy standing inside a circle and a square with his arms outstretched. It's actually Leonardo's ideal Vitruvian body that, as an influential attempt to relate the body to geometry, helped set the stage for the way structural design has evolved ever since. Using that as a starting point, the CAC's Bodyworks show deals with the architectural implications of the human figure. Utilizing drawings, photographs, digital images and sculpture by Ila Berman and Michelle Fornabai, the show employs a variety of images and spatial constructions to explore structure as reflection of the human form, touching on our notions of beauty in the process. The show was organized by the research and design collaborative Studio Matrixx of New Orleans and Boston. -- D. Eric Bookhardt