Listen: Meet Me Boys On The Battle Front / The Wild Tchoupitoulas 02 Meet Me Boys On The Battlefront.mp3

Listen: Brother John / The Wild Tchoupitoulas 01 Brother John.mp3

Listen: Man Smart, Woman Smarter / Robert Palmer 03 Man Smart Woman Smarter.mp3

Turns out the legendary album by The Wild Tchoupitoulas was even more legendary than originally thought. It was a bit of a first in it’s day, critics choice and all that. I remember Kathy Kenyon sending an envelope of singles to my college radio station back in ’76. She worked at Island then, left for several years and ended up returning when I started in the 80′s.

That package included these two Wild Tchoupitoulas 7″s and Robert Palmer’s ‘Man Smart, Woman Smarter’. Seems the label was going through a New Orleans fetish. Robert Palmer’s album, as well as Jess Roden’s then current one, were all recorded there with either The Meters, The Neville Brothers and/or Allen Toussaint contributing. When Chris Blackwell goes for something, he goes for it.

Apparently, The Wild Tchoupitoulas project lead to the formation of The Neville Brothers, who until it’s recording, had never played together. Hard to believe they, not only as brothers but a band, started a long career as a result of that very album.

Listen: Tell It Like It Is / Aaron Neville 08 Tell It Like It Is.mp3

For some reason, Island UK reissued the Aaron Neville single ‘Tell It Like It Is’, originally on Stateside in England. That newly re-issued pressing was also included in Kathy’s package. It reminded me of how much I loved it, not owning the original at the time.

All in all, a pretty memorable package, thanks Kathy.

Listen: Tell It Like It Is / Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
Tell

Here we have a song, ‘Tell It Like It Is’, so perfect via it’s most known rendition by Aaron Neville, that it takes a brave contender to even attempt one upping it. These challenges usually scare off all the competition.

I guess the magic in a strong composition can also be it’s greatness when indeed delivered competently. Enter Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band. Making their mark in the UK back when you really had to sing in order to make records, these guys perfected themselves during those all nighters at London’s Flamingo and such. Covers of current US RnB hits being a priority for the many US servicemen in attendance, if history has been accounted accurately. And it shows on ‘Tell It Like It Is’.

Now here’s a song one of those musically vacant white girls blessed with wonderful black voices should cover. Someone send this post to Joss Stone please.