Let’s be honest — funk lovers are a finicky bunch, especially when it comes to any band associated with the Neville name, the first family of New Orleans’ funk.

So it was something of a pleasant surprise to many that Nikki Glaspie slipped behind the kit of Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk about 18 months ago, when founding member Raymond Weber left, and she got right into the groove. Anyone who checks out YouTube, Flickr or social media sites will see post after post praising the drummer extraordinaire, who first came to the band as a fan.