Wild Tchoupitoulas

Good goshamighty it's good to see this out on CD. This magnificent testament to the power of the Mardi Gras Indian music scene featured all four Neville Brothers performing together for the first time. Throw in The Meters fonky rhythm section and guitarist and you've got one heck of a backing band. The Tchoupitoulas themselves were older gentlemen, most of whom, their leader and the Neville's uncle George Landry included, have passed away since the record was cut. But luckily for us, in addition to spawning The Neville Brothers band, they left behind this butt burnin' document to remember them by. Do the songs all sound kind of the same? Yeah, but what a sound it is! New Orleans funky gumbo and war chants that'll have your party guests up and dancing in milliseconds. Put away the good china. Warning! Play this one in your car and your right foot starts to tap to that irresistable beat and pretty soon your car's doin' a stop and go rhumba down the road, and you'll have to explain why...Read more

This 23 year old release features all the elements of a great funk record. All the Nevilles are here, Allen Toussaint, (once known as Naomi Neville) produces, Leo, George Porter & Zigaboo from the Meters are here, as well. Big Chiel Jolly wrote a lot of the songs that are performed by all the Mardi Gras Indian tribes now. This is the album that started it all, as far as I'm concerned. The Wild Magnolias have upped the tempo, and the Flaming Arrows have incorporated the wildnees, but no one tops the Wild Tchoupitoulas funk. This album contains the best recorded "Indian Red", and "Hey Mama" is unique to this outfit. While you may have heard Neville Brother versions of some of these tunes, you must hear them performed by Geoge "Jolly" Laundry. Buy this cd and learn how to rock.

Although they're from New Orleans, The Wild Tchoupitoulas sounds almost like a hybrid of World Music and R&B. The excellent rhythm section drives the music in a wild mutation of New Orleans R&B, funk and what sounds like early Jamaican influences. The harmonies are great throughout and the songs all blend into each other in an undulating festive stream of sound. When listening, I often recall early R&B like Sugarboy Crawford's "Jock-O-Mo" that later became the standard "Iko Iko." But it's rough and raw vocals, very unlike the polished sound of the Neville Brothers on eg. their version of "Bird on a Wire." This is a joyful and seamless blend of styles that lifts the spirit.