Mississippi Heat - Hattiesburg Blues - 0038153079529

SATURDAY, MAY 24, 2008 CD Review: Mississippi Heat, Hattiesburg Blues Hattiesburg Blues Mississippi Heat Delmark DE795 Since Pierre Lacocque founded Mississippi Heat in 1991, the band personnel has varied, but one thing hasn’t changed: Mississippi Heat consistently combines the talents of excellent Chicago blues musicians to create Delta-based Chicago blues with originality and panache. The band’s latest release, Hattiesburg Blues, showcases Lacocque’s blues harp backed by a solid band of Chicago blues artists, along with vocalist Inetta Visor and guest stars including blues luminaries Carl Weathersby and Lurrie Bell, both frequent contributors to Mississippi Heat. The 13-track CD features 11 songs written or co-written by Lacocque covering a broad spectrum from Chicago shuffles to soul to Latin-infused blues. The ensemble sound of Mississippi Heat is led by Lacocque’s unique, passionate style of blues harp. Even when on lead, he blends and complements nicely with the band, providing strong and creative solos, as well as finely-timed fills and graceful movement behind vocalists and guitarists. He shows both a mastery of the instrument and a strong sense of melody with his solos on such songs as