This debut marked a milestone for New Orleans music as it was one of the first major label record for a Mardi Gras Indian tribe; this was soon to be followed by another great tribe band, the Wild Tchoupitoulas. Not to be confused with Native American tribes, the Mardi Gras Indians are part of an African-American gang-land tradition going back decades that started out as brawls and developed into more civilized costume and song contests (much like the hip-hop style wars later on). Beginning as a practice group formed by leader/Big Chief Theodore "Bo" Dollis and Joseph "Monk" Boudreaux of the Golden Eagles tribe, the Wild Magnolias caught the eye of local promoters and were recorded in 1973 with the New Orleans Project featuring keyboardist Willie Tee and fiery guitarist Snooks Eaglin. Dollis and Boudreaux lead the group through gospel-ish call-and-response chants that become funky mantras as Tee and Eaglin kick up driving grooves to go along with it. Along with inspired originals like "Handa Wanda" and "Two Way Pak E Way," they cover traditional numbers that go way, way back like "Saints" ("come marching in") and "Shoo Fly" ("don't bother me"). The 1993 reissue on Polydor is especially fine as it includes a number of unreleased songs from the same session and a B-side that go along well with the original album. The Wild Magnolias is an exciting non-stop dance fest and an excellent introduction for any interested in the music of the Big Easy.
Travelling back to New Orleans in Spring 1974, where this must have been about the 425th version of this old standard, but definitely the most greasily funk-filled, courtesy of Wilson "Willie Tee" Turbinton on keyboards (he also arranged the session), and his brother Earl on sax, plus Snooks Eaglin on the guitar
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 "The Wild Magnolias")
