No surprises with Mississippi Heat's new album, "Cab Driving Man." It is the latest reording in the 25 year career of this Chicago-based band, and the seventh by Pierre Lacocque and band for Delmark. In addition to the harmonica of Lacocque (who contributed most of the songs), he is joined by the present line-up of vocalist Inetta Visor, guitarist and sometimes vocalist Michael Dotson, bassist Brian Quinn, and drummer Terrence Williams, with several tracks having Giles Corey and guitar (and he shares a vocal on one track with Visor), Ricky Nelson on bass and Kenny Smith on drums. Chris 'Hambone Cameron' plays keyboards except on two tracks by Sumito Ariyo. Sax Gordon adds horns to five selections, Dave Spector adds guitar to one and Ruben Alvarez adds percussion to four tracks. Lacocque wrote ten of the 16 tracks, co-wrote one with Cameron, Dotson wrote thee, and there are two covers.
Those familiar with Mississippi Heat from having seen them perform or previous recordings will find little to surprise them. This is a nice collection of Chicago blues performed in a sterling manner from the opening notes of "Cupid Bound," a solid shuffle (with melodic hints of Little Walter's "Just Your Fool") with strong harmonica, a typical fine vocal from Visor and blistering guitar break from Dotson to the closing instrumental feature for Lacocque's chromatic playing, "Hey Pipo!"
While it is hard to single out specific tracks, "Flowers on My Tombstone," has a terrific lyric as Visor sings "it would be a miracle when I die, if you lay flowers on my tombstone," sounding as if she feels like a wild goose with a hunter aiming at her to claim his prize as she swallows her pride and could have left her husband a long time ago, but stayed for the kids to watch them grow. The backing is simply classic Chicago band blues with pumping piano, solid drumming from Kenny Smith and great harp. The feel shifts on the following track "Icy Blue," which has a more funky feel and there is slide guitar adding to its flavor.
Giles Corey joins Visor for a solid cover of the Fontella Bass and Bobby McClure classic "Don't Mess Up a Good Thing." Michael Dotson may not be as distinctive singing, but he provides a contrasting approach on his straight-forward style perhaps best sampled on the boogie blues "The Last Go Round." Also nice is the jazz-tinged "Life Is Too Short," as Visor again captivates with her vocal. The rest of this recording is of a similar level with wonderful playing, blues singing and strong, varied, mostly original material. Lovers of Chicago blues can not go wrong with Mississippi Heat, as "Cab Driving Man" again provides proof.
I received my review copy from Delmark. Here is Mississippi Heat in performance in 2016.
Delmark has just released the latest recording, “Hattiesburg Blues,” by Mississippi Heat. This is the 8th album by the group led by Pierre Lacocque, a fine songwriter and increasingly impressive harmonica player. The group is fronted by Inetta Visor, whose unforced soulful singing is becoming more accomplished. Guitarist Giles Corey, keyboard whiz Chris Cameron, bassist Spurling Banks and drummer Kenny Smith are the band’s core, with Stephen Howard and Dujuan Austin filling in for Banks and Smith for certain tracks. One cannot stress just how good the rhythm section is and certainly come off as good as any rhythm section in the blues today. Lurrie Bell and Carl Weathersby both make guest appearances with the Chicago Horns led by Kenny Anderson also appearing on several tracks.
The strength of the Mississippi Heat has always been fine original material, strong ensemble playing and strong solo playing. The opening track, ‘Tiger Man,’ is not the same song as Rufus Thomas’ Sun recording, but rather Inetta Visor’s joyful celebration of her man’s love-making prowess and Lacocque’s marvelous harp featured throughout. It is followed by Lurrie Bell’s declaration of ‘Chicago Is My Home,’ delivered marvelously with typically fine guitar while his other vocal on the rocking Gone So Long,’ sports a marvelous solo from Lacocque along with his marvelous rocking accompaniment of Bell’s vocal. Cameron adds some rollicking piano to this.
One of the few covers here is of Denise LaSalle’s ‘Soft-Hearted Woman’, with fine guitar from Weathersby with Visor showing her interpretative skills. The Chicago Horns along with percussionist Ruben Alvarez add a Afro-Cuban feel to ‘How Much Worse Can It Be?,’ and the title track with its musical allusion to ‘Hernando’s Hideaway.’ Its really nice to hear how Lacocque blends in his harp seamlessly with the band and horn riffs. Weathersby is typically impressive on the slow blues “Light From Within,’ along with ‘Hell and Back,’ on which he handles the vocal 'Calypso in Blue,’ is a lovely instrumental with Giles Corey ably handling the guitar solo here with impressive chromatic harp from the leader.
What else can one say. Mississippi Heat is rooted in the entire scope of the post-World War II Chicago blues tradition and the terrific “Hattiesburg Blues”is another addition to their marvelous body of recordings.
I received a review copy from Delmark Records and this review appeared in the June 2008 issue of Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 305) and downloadable at jazz-blues.com. Here Mississippi heat perform "Hattiesburg Blues."
Pierre Lacocque's Mississippi Heat have a new release on Delmark, Warning Shot, that will be welcomed by the band's fans and likely make new fans from listeners. Lacocque’s leadership along with his songwriting and marvelous harmonica playing (Charlie Musselwhite is quoted calling it tasty and brilliant) is joined by one of the most underrated vocalists in the blues, Inetta Visor; vocals and guitar from Michael Dotson; guitar from Giles Corey; bass from Brian Quinn; and a vocal from Kenny Smith who shares the drum chair with Andrew Thomas. Former band member Carl Weathersby is on guitar on a couple tracks, Neal O’Hara is on keyboards, Ruben Alvarez is on percussion and Sax Gordon handles the saxophones.
The opening Sweet Poison is an imaginative original, built upon the Elmore James broom dusting riff with Lacocque's fine harp riding over Dotson’s crisp slide playing. The band pushes the groove behind a superb vocal from Visor. Years ago she might have been described as a moaner as opposed to a shouter, but her nuanced singing is thoroughly a delight. You get a sense of the vivacious quality of her performances listening to her, but the joy she has singing is evident when one sees Heat live (or on the band’s Live DVD “One Eye Open, Live at Rosa’s” on Delmark). Sweet Poison is followed by the rollicking “Alley Cat Boogie” with pumping piano from O’Hara and an exuberant vocal from Visor.
An original Come To Mama sports Caribbean rhythms (handled by Thomas) while Corey takes the guitar lead sounding like he’s playing through a Leslie amp. Gordon takes a tough tenor sax solo, while Lacocque’s solo suggests some of Walter Horton’s playing (thinking of Horton’s take LaCucaracha). More terrific harp along with Corey’s jazzy guitar is heard behind Visor’s moving singing on a reworking of a Ruth Brown recording, I Don’t Know. Dotson takes a capable vocal on Yeah Now Baby with its North Hills Country meets Muddy Waters rhythms.
Birthday Song, is a funky, buoyant original that provides blues and soul revival bands with an alternative to the standard birthday song. Corey is in a Santana mode here with Gordon and Lacocque riffing in support. Dotson’s guitar lead on his bouncy rocker, Swingy Dingy Baby evokes the late Texas guitarist Cal Valentine. Too Sad To Wipe Way The Tears has a low-key backing with terrific Lacocque’s harp in a Sonny Boy Williamson II manner. Dotson’s restrained slide playing is exceptional.
Set against a crisp shuffle groove and Gordon’s one-man sax section, the instrumental rendition of Your Cheating Heart showcases Lacocque’s wonderful harp. Gordon takes a booting solo on this. A Part of Special a funky Visor original whose backing vocal chorus, the horn arrangements (and a sax solo that would have King Curtis smiling) and a terrific vocal suggests some classic 70s Aretha Franklin (she is really good here). The terrific Warning Shot features tight ensemble playing (one of the things that Lacocque has always focused on with this band), excellent new original material, interpretations of songs that have not been recorded a zillion times, strong solos and the wonderful blues and soul vocals of Inetta Visor.
I received my review copy from Delmark Records. For those near Washington DC, Mississippi Heat is at Madam's Organ on Friday October 17. Here is a video of Mississippi Heat performing.
Teeny Tucker and Robert Hughes at 2009 DC Blues Festival.
Falls Church, Virginia hosts a weekend of Blues, Brew and BBQ with the 21st Tinner Hill Blues Festival which runs Friday June 13th through Sunday June 15. The Festival, which is a tribute to the late Northern Virginia Blues Legend John Jackson, will feature the blues talents of Shemekia Copeland, Teeny Tucker, Mississippi Heat and Ursula Ricks as well as area favorites Tom Principato and Cathy Ponton King. The Tinner Hill Blues Festival is produced by The Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation which celebrates the legacy of the first rural Virginia NAACP chapter that was founded in 1915, which they will be celebrating the centennial in January 2015.
Friday, June 13th the Festival opens with Shemekia Copeland at The State Theatre, 222 N. 33 1/3” on Telarc which Howard Reich of The Chicago Tribune called “a gripping, stripped-to-basics release that reaffirms her position as one of the great hopes for the art form.”
Shemekia Copeland at 2009 Pocono Blues Festival
Washington Street in Falls Church. Shemekia Copeland is the daughter of Texas legend Johnny Clyde Copeland and began singing with her father while a teenager. After her father passed away, she started performing on her own and signed with the Alligator label with whom she had several award winning recordings before signing with her current label Telarc. Shemekia is a two-time Grammy nominee, multiple Handy Award-Blues Music Award honoree, winner of several Living Blues Critics and Readers Awards for Outstanding Female Blues Vocalist as well as DownBeat Award Winner for Rising Star Blues Artist. At the 2011 Chicago Blues Festival, In addition, the city of Chicago, state of Illinois, and Joyce “Cookie” Threatt, daughter of Koko Taylor, surprised Shemekia onstage with her mother’s tiara, and crowned her “The new Queen of the Blues” at the Chicago Blues Festival. Her most recent album is “
Opening for Shemekia will be Sol Roots. Sol Roots is a fine guitarist (actually multi-instrumentalist and singer that creates a blend of energetic rock, raw blues, reggae, and funk, all delivered with deep soul. Sol, who regularly plays at such venues as The Hamilton Live and JVs, has toured with many roots, funk, and blues legends around the world as a part of Music Maker Revue (and accompanied Beverly Watkins and Albert White at the 2013 Tinner Hill Blues Festival).
Saturday, June 13, the Festival moves to Cherry Hill Park on Park Avenue in Falls Church. In the morning, there will be acoustic blues played at the weekly Farmer’s Market held in the Falls Church City Hall Parking lot. There will be other events held including a panel discussion TBA before the main program begins at Cherry Hill Park.
This year’s Saturday line-up is headlined by Teeny Tucker. Teeny is the daughter of Tommy Tucker, best known for one of the great blues standards, High Heel Sneakers. Teeny has developed into a singer of great power and nuance whose performances include her salutes to some of the great blues women of the past and choice originals. Her powerful singing will conjure up memories of such legends as Lavern Baker, Big Mama Thornton and Koko Taylor. In fact, her rendition of Koko’s Voodoo Woman opens her new album Voodoo To Do You. Teeny’s band is led by an outstanding guitarist Robert Hughes, who in addition to being a terrific musician and collaborator with teeny, is an outstanding photographer who was recently named Ohio Professional Photographer of the Year. About her album Keep The Blues Alive, I wrote that the album “will certainly build Teeny’s audience. There is some exceptional material on this and Teeny is fabulous.”
Mississippi Heat is a band that is led by harmonica player Pierre Lacocque who also contributes most of the new material. Mississippi Heat has always been a band that has focused on an ensemble sound and supporting its singers and for over two decades been playing strong Chicago blues. Lacocque himself plays in the Little Walter tradition. The band has a marvelous vocalist, Inetta Visor who has been with the group since 2001. Her powerful, Etta James-like voice on Footprints On The Ceiling, Glad You're Mine, and One Eye Open are always highlights of the performances. Other members of the band include guitarist Michael Dotson, bassist Brian Quinn and crummy Kenny “Beedy Eyes’ Smith. Kenny Smith, like Shemekia Copeland and Teeny Tucker, is a child of a legendary blues artist, in this car the long-time drummer with Muddy Waters, Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith. Of the Mississippi Heat’s last Delmark recording Delta Bound, I wrote “One continues to get impressed by Mississippi Heat. Pierre Lacocque continues to write interesting and varied new blues songs which are rooted in the blues and not blues-rock. Match the material with the tight backing, strong solos and excellent vocals and he continues to bring us after 20 years first-rate and fresh-sounding, new blues.”
Baltimore’s Ursula Ricks has been a presence on the Baltimore and Washington blues scenes for a couple decades, Ursula Ricks certainly sounds poised to break out to the National music scene and her recent recording My Street (Severn Records) displays another singer of considerable maturity. She is a powerful singer, whose smoky and husky vocals are outstanding. Her controlled, unforced delivery stands out in a manner akin to Nina Simone. She never bellows, screams or sounds constipated. Rather she evokes classic sixties soul recordings by the like of Carol Fran or Betty Everett. About My Street, I wrote “The songs and her vocals ring with conviction and the backing is excellent on a superb recording that will hopefully enable Ms. Ricks to receive the recognition and rewards her talent and music deserves.” I am not the only person to notice this as she will be appearing at the Pennsylvania Blues Festival as well.
Tom Principato
Other performers on Saturday include Baatin, Tom Principato and Cathy Ponton King. Tom Principato is one of the most celebrated, blues and roots performers in the Washington DC area. An able singer, he is a fabulous guitarist rooted in blues but who incorporates rockabilly, swing jazz and country boogie into an irresistible sound. One of the few guitarists who could spar with the late Danny Gatton, Principato always puts on some energetic performances. watching him perform, one will understand why he is in demand in Europe. Of a recent recording A Part of Me, I wrote that it “is a typically strong album by Tom Principato with a varied collection of material, superbly and imaginatively performed and sung straight from Tom’s heart.” Cathy Ponton King is another local favorite who brings plenty of warmth with her heartfelt vocals and guitar playing. She always has a terrific band and you never know whether saxophonist Ron Holloway or pianist Daryl Davis might show up to play with her this day.
I will be updating this blog post with more information as it becomes available on the Festival including the Sunday, June 15th, Blues Brunch. For more information on this year’s festival, check out http://tinnerhill.org/blues-festival.
Celebrating the band’s 20 years, Delta Bound is the new Delmark release by Mississippi Heat, the band that is led by harmonica player Pierre Lacocque who also contributes most of the new material. Mississippi Heat has always been a band that has focused on an ensemble sound and supporting its singers. Inetta Visor is still the band’s vocalist, but for this album as an additional treat the band’s original featured vocalist, Deitra Farr, returns for three songs. The rest of the band consists of guitarists Giles Corey and Billy Satterfield; Chris ‘Hambone’ Cameron and Johnny Iguana on keyboards; Joseph Veloz on bass and Kenny Smith on drums. In addition to Deitra Farr, there are guest appearances from Chubby Carrier on accordion for one track, as well as guitarists Carl Weathersby and Billy Flynn.
Lacocque’s growth as a harmonica player is immediately evident with chromatic playing on the torrid opener “Granny Mae,” as Visor is jubilant about her lover returning after 8 long weeks with Smith displaying why he is among the finest living drummers. “Look-A-Here” is a classic Chicago blues shuffle with Deitra Farr handling the vocal about a mistreating lover. Given the infrequency that Deitra Farr has recorded, the three new vocals here with a clean, natural singing is a special treat and Lacocque’s harp also stands out on this and throughout. Farr is long-due for a new album under her own name. Chubby Carrier adds his accordion to “New Orleans Man” with its second line groove and Visor’s singing about her man from Louisiana man who loves everything about her.
A highlight of this recording might be the rendition of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” that many will be familiar from the Animals recording but was originally waxed by the great Nina Simone. Visor is outstanding here and it is one of the selections on which Weathersby lends his searing guitar. Billy Flynn’s guitar adds a nice touch behind Deitra Farr on “What’s Happening To Me.” “Going to St. Louis” is a jazz-tinged number with a light latin groove with Kenneth Hall on vibes, and the leader on chromatic harmonica. I can’t praise enough Velez and Smith for the the groove they lay down. Weathersby returns to add his fire behind Visor on “Mr. Mistreater,” while “Lemon Twister,” is a nicely paced instrumental with nice interplay between Johnny Iguana on organ and Lacocque on harp as well as a sharp solo from guitarist Giles Corey. “Sweet Ol’ Blues” is a new song about the blues being a trusty companion with another strong vocal from Farr.
One continues to get impressed by Mississippi Heat. Pierre Lacocque continues to write interesting and varied new blues songs which are rooted in the blues and not blues-rock.Match the material with the tight backing, strong solos and excellent vocals and he continues to bring us after 20 years first-rate and fresh-sounding, new blues.
I received my review copy from Delmark. Here is Mississippi Heat with Inetta Visor singing in performance.
It has been nearly twenty years since Pierre Lacocque formed the Chicago blues band and revue in one, Mississippi Heat, who have just issued their latest album on Delmark, Let’s Live It Up! Over the years, Lacocque has assembled various line-ups and for this disc vocalist Inetta Visor returns while Christopher ‘Hambone’ Cameron handles the keyboards and Stephen Howard the bass with Kenny Smith handling the drums for some of the 14 performances. Special guests include guitarists Carl Weathersby and John Primer, with the latter handling several vocals, and the Chicago Horns.
Lacocque contributed most of the songs here (originals with one exception) including the wild-ass p[arty rocker that opens this. He covers so many bases as a writer, able to handle songs in a traditional Chicago style such as Steadfast, Loyal and True, with some prime singing and playing from Primer. Jumpin’ in Chi-Town, is a supersonic tempo rocker with nice chromatic harp and brassy horns punctuating Inetta’s sassy vocal, while Inetta soulfully delivers She Died of a Broken Heart, an original she and Cameron collaborated on.
Primer is up front on “Betty Sue,” a hard rocker in the vein of Linda Lu, with some driving chicken-picking guitar in addition to Primer’s vocal. Another Sleepless Night, is a soul-blues with a strong lyric and an insistent vocal from Inetta backed by a driving backing with nice imaginative harp and a strong chromatic solo. Peace Train, is a gospel number with rollicking piano in the backing, while Weathersby biting guitar is prominent on Been Good To You, with choice solos also by Cameron and the leader.
The one cover here is the lively rendering of Sugar Pie DeSanto I Want To Know. Another highlight is Daggers & Spears, which introduces another singer, Rhonda Preston, who belts out the vocal. He delivery is more in the vein of a shouter in contrast to Inetta Visor’s more dry, sober approach with Giles Covey taking a solid solo. Primer’s own I Got the News Today, is another terrific performance in the traditional Chicago blues style, before the closing Until We Meet Again, a peppy closing number that is unusual to hear on a recording with Giles Covey a spirited solo before Lacocque closes it out on chromatic.
Mississippi Heat maintains their winning formula on Let’s Live It Up! with good original material, strong and authoritative singing, an excellent band that is comfortable in several different blues styles and excellent soloists. The result is another collection of blues that should appeal to those loving Chicago blues.
This review originally appeared in the July 2010 Jazz & Blues Report. I received my review copy from Delmark.
Mississippi Heat is the wonderful group that Isreali-born Pierre Lacocque has organized and fronted using some of the finest, if not best-known Chicago blues musicians. The release One Eye Open:Live at Rosa's Lounge, is available on Delmark both as a CD and as DVD.
Mixing in some choice blues classic with his own fine originals, Lacocque has seen varying personnel in his group, but they have always had a strong Chicago blues ensemble sound that supported the vocalists and the soloists. Its hard not to notice Lacocque’s strong harp playing that evokes Carey Bell at times with his vocalized playing and fat tone. This edition of Mississippi Heat also benefits from the stunning guitar of Lurrie Bell and the strong rhythm of Chris ‘Hambone’ Cameron’s keyboards, Sturling Banks’ bass and Kenny Smith on drums.
While Lurrie Bell takes two nice vocals on Muddy Waters’ 19 Years Old, and T-Bone Walker’s Cold, Cold Feeling, it is a wonderful vocalist, Inetta Visor who currently fronts the band and introduces Pierre as “the man who came up with the plan” for the opening instrumental, Rosa’s Strut, that showcases his playing and the band’s nice ensemble sound as they provide that nice walking tempo behind him.
After Lurrie Bell’s fine delivery of 19 Years Old, Ms. Visor takes the mike to deliver Frederick Knight’s amusing I’ve Got to Sleep With One Eye Open, as she has to keep her eye open to keep her man from loving her all night, which is quite a different take than the usual story of the mistreating lover who is way too quick. Guitarist Max Valldeneu takes the lead here.
Pierre opens on chromatic harp as Inetta sings his Dirty Deal about being “so in love, I could not see he was giving me a dirty deal.” Cool Twist is a nice rocking dance tune while the DVD only Moanin’ and Cryin’ is a fine slow blues followed by She Ain’t Your Toy, where Inetta gives a male friend some advice. Eddie Harris’ Listen Here provides Pierre with another showcase of his harp as the performance concludes in a most satisfactory fashion. The DVD thankfully focuses on the performers with some crowd shots mixed in but not to distraction. The focus is on the music and the performers and let that do the talking.
There is some really strong Chicago blues here as well and whichever format you choose you should find to your liking.
My review copy was provided by Delmark records and this review originally appeared in the August 2006 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 285)
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