Cabin Fever

The real problem is how cold it has been in Denver so far this winter. Beyond the fact that I've spent the last four years in Louisiana softening like a powdered beignet, the temperature has officially reached record lows this year. The other night it was -19F at the airport, just a few miles up the road from our house. As I was trying to remove the guitars and drums from our trailer in the middle of the night to keep them from freezing, my hand froze solid to the metal lock. I don't really know what Shakespeare meant by "Now is the winter of our discontent...", but I think it had something to do with the thin layer of flesh peeling off my palm as I disconnected the lock from my hand.

There are several good activities for musicians to pursue during the winter. During an intense spout of boredom I found this video of slap-bass originator Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone, "thumpin' and pluckin" away on a song called "POW". Nothing warms the soul like some funk from the height of the period. Take special note of Graham's wildly fringed costume, adding to his already exuberant stage presence.

While I'm on the computer observing those funky forefathers who came before us, I also like to lay down some funk of my own on GarageBand, that ubiquitous but functional recording software that comes standard on Mac's these days.

While many will make the arguement that GarageBand has turned legions of wanna-be deejay bush leaguers into undeserving recording artists, I personally believe there is an art to using such a simple program in a creatively fufilling way. And nothing kills time better than indulging every musical whim with nothing more than a computer, mic, guitar and keyboard.

Perhaps the one task I am consumed with out of excitement (and not boredom) is that of running For/Sure Productions LLC. We are happy to announce the first official artists confirmed for Mountainside Mardi Gras 2009: Papa Grows Funk and Johnny Sketch and The Dirty Notes, two solid funk bands from New Olreans, naturally. Contracts, budgets, artwork and publicity are just a couple aspects of running a huge festival that I avoid thinking about while trying to fall asleep at night, and try and focus on during the day.

Using this ultra-new, crazy concept called the "internet" will be key in promoting the event. Soon we will launch a Facebook group for those who'd like to get involved with the festival in exchange for tickets and the experience of "day of" operations (backstage at a Lil' Wayne concert is where I consider to have earned my promoting merit-badge).

The internet can do lots of things, even help us book shows in New Orleans for our move in February. But the World Wide Web won't keep you warm in the winter...

Music helps a little.

I recommend doing what we did in college on the rare occasion it got cold in New Orleans. Hang blankets over the doorways to your living room, blast the space heater, cuddle up with your browser and write a blog. I'm feeling warmer already...

Ivan Neville and Dumpstaphunk

New Orleans has been serving up a steaming heap of funky gumbo ever since The Meters strutted on the scene in 1969. Even as The Funk progressed from P-Funk to Prince, Run DMC to Red Hot Chili Peppers, the New Orleans scene has stayed true to the ideals of it’s funky forefathers. Those ideals can be heard most any night of the week, spouted out in smoky clubs all over the city by those who have a penchant for deep grooves, hot horns and incorporating the word “funk” into their nomenclature. Bands like Papa Grows Funk, Big Sam’s Funky Nation and The Funky Meters all rule their respective rhythmic territories on funk street. But the newest rising star in both the funk and jam band scenes comes not from the street, but straight from the dumpster itself.

Since their inception in 2002, Ivan Neville and his Dumpstaphunk have dropped the proverbial dumpster on the notion that they would become just another formulaic funk band with a cliche way of incorporating “ph” into their group’s name (Phish had the idea back in ‘85).

The wall of syncopated sound created by the double bass attack of Nick Daniels (The Neville Brothers) and Tony Hall (Dave Matthews and Friends) is nothing less than thunderous. Driven by drummer Raymond Weber (Trey Anastasio Band), the Dumpstaphunk package is rounded out by cousins Ivan (organ, vocals) and Ian Neville (guitar). The resulting musical outcome puts any phonetic criticism regarding the band’s name immediately to rest.

The most surprising aspect of Dumpstaphunk’s history is their quick ascent from hypothesis to headliner in 4 short years. By 2006, Ivan’s band was traveling cross country to play and headline festivals like Bonnarroo and High Sierra.

I caught up with Ivan Neville in New Orleans via phone as the band took a break from recording new Dumpstaphunk material in the studio:

TJ: What does “Dumpstaphunk” mean?
Ivan Neville: Laughs... The name is from a song I was working on right around when the band was getting together. The guys were playing so nasty and dirty, we figured there is nothing funkier than a dumpster.

TJ: You’ve both played and sat in at a lot of festivals over the past year. What have some of the
highlights of this scene been?
IN: We played a festival in Florida recently, Bear Creek, where a lot of cats sat in... Derek Trucks (Allman Bros. Band) and Eric Krasno (Soulive) and a bunch of other guys. It was a great festival, lots of great funk bands. I also remember this one festival we did, what’s it called... Earth Dance!
Yeah, that one was good.

TJ: Where is that festival held?
IN: I don’t even remember, but... yeah that festival is a good one.

TJ: Some people have said that Dumpstaphunk is leading somewhat of a funk revolution in New Orleans right now. Do you think you guys are doing something new and revolutionary, or continuing a tradition that has been around for a while?
IN: We like to think that we are doing something new. We come from good stock. Of course, we are influenced by The Meters, the quintessential New Orleans funk band. We take from a lot of other musicians, try to mix it up, and make it new.

TJ: Thanks for taking time out of the studio to talk to me today. What are you guys working on and what can Dumpstaphunk fans expect in the near future?
IN: We are working on new Dumpstaphunk tunes... a lot of stuff. We are hoping to put a new special guest on the album. We are just trying to get the funk out there, really. We need to get over to Europe and Japan and spread the funk on an international level.

---- ----

The “good stock” Ivan refers to are his immediate ancestors, the founding fathers of the funk. Both Ivan and Ian’s fathers were instrumental in creating the music of The Meters and The Neville Brothers, bands whose legacy in the funk scene can never be overstated. When talking to Ivan, it’s clear that he enjoys both the tradition he came from and the direction Dumpstaphunk is taking.

However, it is neither family nor future that defines Dumpstaphunk, but the funk fans themselves. “Bear Creek was Dumpstaphunk’s festival,” one festival-goer related to me. “The highlight of the festival, they straight up brought the funk”.

Dumpstaphunk’s music can be heard at http://www.dumpstaphunk.com.