Mississippi Heat - Let’s live it up
(Delmark Records)

Harp virtuoso Pierre Lacocque signs off his 9th release – 3rd for Delmark – with 14 invigorating tracks, a true blast offering a wide array of stylistic approaches, from dark atmospheres to dazzling explosion of cutting-edge solos. While Lacocque’s harp playing brings passionate urgency to the sound, Inetta Visor vocals and Carl Weathersby on guitar enrich the quality of these recordings with their valuable talents.

Chicago Blues ain’t dead? Not yet. This is a sure bet. Mississippi Heat is a sort a collective work, a Blues gathering managed by Canadian harp-player Pierre Lacocque, a cosmopolitan, sophisticated man who put together some of best disciples of the Chicago masters. Carl Weathersby grew up musically behind Albert King, John Primer was managing guitar duties with the likes of Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters and Magic Slim. However, most of the songs see Giles Corey on lead guitar. Drummer Kenny Smith is the son of Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Muddy Waters’ legendary drummer; Chris “Hambone” Cameron on keyboards has had a long carrier among rock’n’roll and Blues. Very much like Mississippi Heat’s previous album, this “Let’s live it up” is a gorgeous collection of traditional Chicago Blues, with slow and fast numbers plenty of passion and feeling from the start-up “Let’s live it up” and the sad “She died from a broken heart” marked by a wonderful vocal performance by Inetta Visor and inspired solos by Lacocque and Weathersby. The CD goes on effortless with other moments of great pathos and energy – “Jumpin in Chi-town” - also thanks to the steady support provided by three background vocalists and the 4-piece Chicago Horns. To close the journey, there is also a true swing-jazz number – “Until we meet again”. All in all, another great CD by Lacocque and his fellows that you will not disappoint any serious Chicago Blues fan.

Luca Lupoli