ATTENTION BUENOS AIRES: Delmark Records artist Pierre Lacocque, harmonica player supreme, composer and leader of the band Mississippi Heat, arrives. Mississippi Heat will be in Argentina for 3 weeks.

NEW RECORDING “DON’T LOOK BACK” OUT NOW ON DELMARK RECORDS.

Our album, DON’T LOOK BACK (14 ORIGINAL TRACKS), was released on the prestigious Chicago label, Delmark Records, on September 19. Physical CDs are available for purchase HERE and the release is available on all digital steaming providers. Click here for streaming links.

This is our 7th Delmark recording and our 14th overall. Thanks to everyone involved, and especially to our co-producer, Grammy-Award Winner Michael Freeman whose diligence and genius lifted this project to stellar levels.

Any master of the arts always looks creatively ahead, never back. Each of Mississippi Heat’s 13 previous records since their 1992 debut album, Straight From The Heart, has shown a growing confidence on every level. There’s confidence in the songwriting, the musical arrangements, the swing, the powerful vocals, and the contributions of every guest musician. That confidence can only grow through decades of studying, playing, touring, and recording.

Lacocque’s 14 originals illustrate his development as a mature musician, writer, and arranger. He no longer imitates the master but instead forges ahead with his unique voice and style.

“From the beginning, my brother Michel urged me to write original songs to distinguish our band from others who tended to do covers. I wrote most of the material on each of our CDs. Here, all the songs are mine.

“These songs are centered around my life, joys, and concerns. You will find lyrics about love, the devastation that drug and alcohol abuse brings on a family (using homelessness as a metaphor for losing everything), the grief of losing my father (who passed away at 94 due to COVID-19 complications), sharing that we are not alone when we are down and out, happier times ahead, etc.”

His songs have matured into vignettes that every listener can relate to. Whether he takes us back in time with the nostalgic “The Sock Hop” or addresses daily stresses with “Champin’ At The Bit” or “Four Steel Walls,” which addresses the devastating effects of drug abuse or the relationship advice on the title cut, Lacocque’s words paint lyrical pictures.

The song with the most fun is “Moonshine Man,” the reed-blowin’ session between Lacocque and Omar Coleman. Like the legendary Harp Attack recording with Wells, Cotton, Branch, and Carey Bell, “Moonshine Man” is a bar-by-bar, head cutting by two giants of the instrument.

His most chilling parable is “Shiverin’ Blues,” the story written for Lacocque’s father, André, who was diagnosed with Covid-19 in 2022 and never recovered. Lacocque accurately describes from his father’s point of view the effects of the disease, and yet he still offers comfort to all victims and families affected by that pandemic.

It’s only fitting that Danielle Nicole, one of the genre’s finest voices, performs the song’s deep blues. As Danielle lets her voice explore the dark emotions of the song, every musician supports her painful cries with a musical response. Lacocque’s harmonica, Giles Corey’s slide guitar, and John Kattke’s B-3 organ all weave instrumental colors that answer Danielle’s dying pleas.

Which brings us to Lacocque’s forte in assembling the finest musicians as part of the process to further the band’s dedication to dig deeper into the core of its blues vision.

Amid the usual Heat members like Corey, Flynn, Kattke, Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith (drums), Johnny Iguana (piano), and Brian Quinn (bass), Lacocque also adds a three-man horn section and FOUR unique voices, Inetta Visor, Sheryl Youngblood, Daneshia Hamilton, and Danielle Nicole.

How do 20 world-class singers and musicians fit into 14 songs? “Relying on the unique talents of each musician is the key to a happy band. Not everyone can deliver certain songs I have in mind, while others can. My motto is to build on the talents that surround me. Some musicians have a vintage blues touch, and others have a more modern blues interest. So, I bring guests if I want a certain sound.”

Lacocque stresses that each musician focuses on the message and mood of the song. Harmonica, guitar, keys, horns, drums, and bass complete the story. This ensemble of stars knows their instruments, never playing an indulgent note. On every song, the unit weaves instruments and solos effortlessly, like five basketball players passing and weaving on a court, adding emotional color to the lyrical story each singer expresses.

One constant in every Heat outing is a strong female vocalist. The four singers assembled here bring unique life experiences into the personal interpretations of Lacocque’s storytelling. Here, Lacocque addresses the contributions of each:

“I first met Inetta Visor in the early 2000s. She can deliver a wide range of emotions and sing in all 12 keys, making it easy for me to choose her for original songs. She is an awesome singer. Sheryl Youngblood has a commanding stage presence and holds the crowd in the palm of her hands. She has one of the best voices in Chicago. Daneshia Hamilton has an incredible voice and digs deep to deliver her lyrics. She typically comes on stage unassumingly and leaves it with a standing ovation from fans. She is Chicago’s hidden gem. Finally, Danielle Nicole is an extraordinary singer. I am honored that she accepted to sing two songs on the album, one of which is her gut-wrenching rendition of ‘Shiverin’ Blues.’”

With Pierre Lacocque at the controls and an artistic collective of veteran and rising new artists, Mississippi Heat continues to look ahead as it stretches the boundaries of Chicago blues.

———

Art Tipaldi – Editor of Blues Music Magazine and author of Children Of The Blues, Profiles of 49 Blues Musicians

“Excellent work, Pierre! Your unique and thoughtful blues playing uplifts the world. What a significant music project!”
CORKY SIEGEL
PIANO AND HARMONICA LEGEND, CO-FOUNDER OF THE SIEGEL-SCHWALL BAND, LEADER OF CHAMBER BLUES,
& BLUES HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

“Congrats!!! … smokin’ top to bottom!”
PAUL BLAKEMORE
AUDIO ENGINEER
MULTI-GRAMMY WINNER-AUDIO ENGINEER
SOCIETY LIFE MEMBER

“I can only describe this recording with one word: MAGNIFICENT!”
WESTSIDE ANDY LINDERMAN
RENOWNED BLUES HARMONICA MAESTRO

“Lacocque’s 14 originals illustrate his development as a mature musician, writer, and arranger. … Lacocque’s words paint lyrical pictures. … His songs have matured into vignettes that every listener can relate to. (Pierre) no longer imitates the masters but forges ahead with his unique style and voice. (This recording is) wonderful.”
ART TIPALDI
EDITOR OF BLUES MUSIC MAGAZINE AND AUTHOR OF CHILDREN OF THE BLUES, PROFILES OF 49 BLUES MUSICIANS.
FROM THE LINER NOTES (AND PERSONAL COMMUNICATION)

Traditional Blues With A Unique Sound

Led by harmonica master and songwriter Pierre Lacocque, Mississippi Heat is a world-class Chicago Blues Band. Their motto is “Traditional Blues With A Unique Sound” as they present fresh yet vintage-based musical ideas.

MISSISSIPPI HEAT’s name is a reflection of Pierre’s reverence for Mississippi’s blues culture and music. The band’s conviction is that there is no deeper music than Delta-inspired blues to express what lies in everyone’s soul. They have received world-wide critical acclaim, including from Living Blues Magazine: “MISSISSIPPI HEAT delivers its traditional urban blues with a freshness, energy and competence that makes them a treasure on today’s Chicago scene.”

Mississippi Heat is known internationally for their passionate blues delivery. Overseas and national touring have been an integral part of their work for decades. The band has appeared at many world-famous festivals including many in the US (like the Pocono’s and the Chicago Blues Festivals), Scandinavia, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Canada, Tunisia, Finland, Venezuela and in Mexico, among many others. 

Buddy Guy has gone on record saying that it’s “been a long time since I heard a good blues band like this.” And recently the band received this critical acclaim from Bonnie Tallman at the Billtown Blues Festival (Hughesville, PA): “Can’t find enough words to express how blown away everyone was with the Mississippi Heat performance! It was spectacular in every way.”

The band has made waves on the blues charts by regularly reaching the #1 spot on Living Blues Magazine’s radio charts.

Current Lineup

Pierre Lacocque

Bandleader

Sheryl Youngblood

Lead Vocals

Terrence Williams

Drums

Yoshimi Hirata

Bass

Giles Corey

Guitar + Vocals

Inetta Visor

Guest Star, Lead Vocals

Daneshia Hamilton

Guest Star, Lead Vocals

Zach Avery

Guest Star, Guitar + Vocals

Discography

• Straight From The Heart (Van der Linden Records, 1992)
• Learned The Hard Way (Van der Linden Records, 1994)
• Thunder In My Heart (Van der Linden Records, 1995)
• Handyman (Van der Linden Records, 1998)
• Footprints On The Ceiling (Crosscut Records, 2002)
• Glad You’re Mine (Crosscut Records, 2005)
• One Eye Open: Live At Rosa’s Lounge, Chicago (Delmark Records, 2005)
• Hattiesburg Blues (Delmark Records, 2008)
• Let’s Live It Up (Delmark Records, 2010)
• Delta Bound (Delmark Records, 2012)
• Warning Shot (Delmark Records, 2014)
• Cab Driving Man (Delmark Records, 2016)
• Madeleine (Van der Linden Recordings, 2022)
• Don’t Look Back (Delmark Recordings, 2025)