As Hurricane Laura devastates the Southeastern portion of the State of Louisiana, this week marks the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and yet another several days of unrest following the attempted murder of a Black man, Jacob Blake, at the hands of police. In acknowledgment of the solemn occasion, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk has released “Where Do We Go From Here.” The spirited record is the first single and title track from the band’s upcoming album, scheduled for a Fall 2020 release through Mascot Label Group / The Funk Garage.
“Many of us from this region who endured the aftermath of Katrina were asking ourselves this question 15 years ago, not knowing what the future would hold,” says Neville. “Today we stand at another crossroads both in terms of the uncertainty of a worldwide pandemic, the political turmoil surrounding a meaningful social justice movement within a controversial election year, and generally the current climate of our existence. We as human beings are posed with the question once again….’Where do we go from here?’”
The “here” in question is indeed historic, but not necessarily unique — hence the need to continue seeking answers to how we’ve come to stand in this moment of history. As Neville puts it, “Myself, Nick [Daniels] and Tony [Hall] were kids during the ’60s-’70s, so we saw a lot growing up. We see the same stuff still going on – the systemic racism, the racial profiling, all the social injustice. We’re at a crossroads right now in this country, and something’s got to change.”
Like the uplifting music the band has become known for in the past, “Where Do We Go From Here” is driven in equal parts by a poignant message and funky rhythm. Says Neville, “We hope people can hear the new songs and are inclined to dance while being inspired to think at the same time.”
Funk-fusion group Dumpstaphunk, who in 2019 opened for The Rolling Stones in the band’s hometown of New Orleans, joined forces with Trombone Shorty in 2017 for the politically charged song “Justice,” which was released on Donald Trump’s inauguration day.
For more information, click here to visit the official website for Dumpstaphunk.
