Keyboardist, vocalist and Neville family scion Ivan Neville has released Touch My Soul, his first solo album in nearly 20 years. Best known more recently for Dumpstaphunk, and for special guest appearances with a huge variety of musicians, many of his musical friends and family return the favor by guesting on an album chock full of them.

With this album, Neville has reclaimed the mantle as a songwriter he was reaching for with his debut album, If My Ancestors Could See Me Now, and laid claim to his eternal place in the piano pantheon of New Orleans.

The album opens with two statements of universal purpose that lay out his comprehensive musical viewpoint before he starts looking within. “Hey All Together” looks out at societal division and says we can do better with guests like Bonnie Raitt, his father, Aaron Neville, David Shaw of the Revivalists, Michael McDonald and Trombone Shorty acting like a spiritual revival chorus.

“Greatest Place on Earth” is an unabashed love letter to New Orleans. Neville name checks everything we love about New Orleans over Dumpstaphunk’s Deven Trusclair’s syncopated parade beat. Whistle Monsta, Mark Mullins, Charlie Gabriel and others make guest appearances. Le Bon Temp Roule and filé gumbo get shout-outs.

Neville has never been shy about how sobriety has changed his life and he puts many of those feelings and sentiments into the more introspective cuts. “Might Last A Lifetime” looks at living life one day at a time. “I used to run for cover, I let them find me now/ Stop holding out for someone, something or someplace/ Stop fantasizing comfort, estimating grace.”

The title cut and the final song find Neville showcasing his piano chops. Long known a funky-ass keyboardist, he plays an infectious, repeating line on “Touch My Soul” with string parts that are also credited to him. “Beautiful Tears” closes the album—it’s a moving instrumental—with just Neville on piano and gentle string parts.

Touch My Soul has as many moods as it has contributing musicians. He covers the Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place,” because, why not? It can’t be neatly summed up except to say that it’s clearly one very talented man’s vision. The final and most important hat he wears is that of the producer.