Boco – Running The Mardi Gras b/w Smile

Big Crown are diversifying their portfolio. Already hitting and staking their gold claim with Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, Mickey & The Fabulous Five, Shateish, and Okonkolo, all different sounds from truly different bands, they are bringing out some big guns on this latest release. The latest is a reissue of a very hard record to get your hands on. This cult classic breaks the bank at over a G, that’s if you are even lucky to come across it in your travels. The record we speak of is Boco’s “Running The Mardi Gras”, a highly coveted psychedelic soul private press seven inch. The concept came to the father, Mr. Latour while shaving, and the song’s title may be confusing a bit. The track’s name is a far cry from today’s version of what Mardi Gras is, but is really about the rural Louisiana traditions of “running the Mardi Gras”. Families would go to the neighbors house and get some home cooked meals from each one to celebrate Mardi Gras. A down home charity possibly? Either way, sounds like a good time.

Weaving her soulful tale of how they run things down there in the Bayou, it has a decent little drum break and a lo-fi sound you hear when the record was recorded in someone’s living room.

Mr. Latour, who had a studio in the house for the children then got some local musicians to record with the Latours there. They cut two sides, this one and “Smile”, and put it out on their own Laughing Eye label. The money cut, “Running The Mardi Gras” has Boco lending her sultry voice over some percussion and guitar and eerie background vocals. Weaving her soulful tale of how they run things down there in the Bayou, it has a decent little drum break and a lo-fi sound you hear when the record was recorded in someone’s living room. There is something to this 45 though, hence being highly sought after. It’s eerie and soulful at the same time. It has got that left of center sound that deserves attention. It’s nice to see Big Crown getting off on the right foot with these releases, and putting out this truly unique record and preserving a piece of New Orleans history at the same time. It’s said that Boco Latour could do a mean Irma Thomas cover, and still performs today. I wonder if she still pulls this one out of her bag from time to time? That would be nice to see. Check out the track below: