Mississippi Heat bandleader Pierre Lacocque had a particular vision in mind when he formed the band back in 1991 - the ensemble would resurrect the classic 1950s Chicago blues sound, but with a contemporary edge. Through the years, and over the course of seven albums and a revolving roster of talented musicians, Mississippi Heat has done just that, Lacocque and the band putting a unique spin on the traditional blues sound and becoming popular live club performers along the way.
Mississippi Heat's Hattiesburg Blues
Album number eight for the band, Hattiesburg Blues, takes them further afield, Lacocque and Mississippi Heat bringing even more disparate influences to play within their original blues music sound. It might seem that they're trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole, but the talented ensemble that is Mississippi Heat manages to add these invigorating elements to their traditional framework with ease, creating a seamless tapestry of passionate blues music.
Hattiesburg Blues opens with the lively "Tiger Man," a bawdy Chicago-styled blues tune about the rigors of love. Vocalist Inetta Visor delivers the song's sly lyrics with a nod-and-a-wink while Lacocque's harpwork flies in front of the shuffling rhythms like he's on a military mission, dropping notes like bombs from the belly of a B-52. The band attacks the blues standard "Chicago Is My Home" with a similar ferocity, guest guitarist Lurrie Bell adding his wonderful tone and hearty vocals, the six-string wizard ripping off a couple of elegant solos alongside the band's muscular delivery.
Round 'bout here, Hattiesburg Blues gets, well ... shall we say, moody ... Visor steps back upfront for the sultry, atmospheric "Forget You Had A Home." R&B-flavored horns are interspaced with Lacocque's subtle, albeit powerful harp solos. A scorching guitar solo from Heat guitarist Giles Corey underlines Visor's powerful vocal performance on this tale of romantic betrayal.
Latin-Flavored Blues
The band adds some exotic flavor to its tasty blues on "How Much Worse Can It Be?" Cuban rhythms and spanking horns provide a colorful backdrop for Visor's soaring, defiant vocals. The song features one of Lacocque's most potent harp solos, and a strident, wiry solo courtesy of Corey.
The title tracks continues to dive further into the unexpected, Visor's swaying vocals hitting with an emotional impact, blasted out above a Latin-styled, almost Calypso type rhythm. Bell returns to punch out the spry "Gone So Long," swapping red-hot blues licks on his six-string with Lacocque's raucous harp as the band plays it cool in the background with a solid beat. The instrumental romp "Calypso In Blue" makes it an island threesome, the song's energetic Caribbean rhythms and solid horn arrangement reminding of Santana's early work, or even Osibisa's manic percussion. Lacocque's harpwork is stunning here, running nearly the entire length of the song, complimented by Giles Corey's 1960s-style rockin' guitar solo and the song's Latin heartbeat.
Hambone & The Chicago Horns
Mississippi Heat guitarist Carl Weathersby takes his turn in the spotlight with the dark-hued tearjerker "Hell And Back." Weathersby's soulful vocals breathe life into this classic blues tune, his nuanced fretwork adding to the song's emotional impact and overall blues vibe, supplemented by some blastin' harp from Mr. Pierre and velvet keyboard flourishes from veteran blues musician Chris "Hambone" Cameron. "Say Something Good" is a funky strut down Maxwell Street, a 1970s-styled soul-blues song that showcases Corey's hearty vocals and taut six-string work, along with Cameron's nimble keyboard jabs, which cross Al Kooper with Billy Preston.
The Chicago Horns, who have been "most valuable players" throughout Hattiesburg Blues for their vital additions to the music, take center stage on "Foolish Man" with what is possibly their best arrangement on the album. Their horn charts are off the chain here, blastin' big band-style behind incredible guest vocalist Devin Thompson, whose smooth, jazzy, strong vocals rise above the fray.
Hattiesburg Blues closes with "Nature Is Crying," a topical song with socially-conscious lyrics delivered bullseye-perfect by Visor. The instrumentation here reminds of late-1970s/early-80s War, a mild Latin undercurrent overshadowed by Lacocque's pure Chicago-styled harp playing, an understated but wide-ranging keyboard solo, and some damn fine horn blowing.
The Reverend's Bottom Line
With Hattiesburg Blues, Mississippi Heat has delivered its biggest, brassiest and best album to date. Fueled by Pierre Lacocque's songwriting skills and ever-evolving harp style, the larger-than-life voice of Inetta Visor, a talented ensemble band, and special guests like Lurrie Bell and Carl Weathersby, Mississippi Heat continues to kick out creatively interesting and musically exciting works like Hattiesburg Blues. (Delmark Records)
