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1.
I
Love My Baby 4:11
(P. Lacocque, Ransart Music,
BMI)
2. Learned
The Hard Way 4:46
(P. Lacocque/W. Flynn, Ransart
Music/Easy Baby Music, BMI)
3. Lets
Pack Our Bags 3:43
(P. Lacocque/J. O. Wheeler,
Ransart Music/O. J. Y. Music, BMI)
4. Je
Me Souviens (I Remember Too) 5:07
(D.
Farr, Deitra Farr Music, BMI)
5. Keep
Your Hands Off Her 4:01
(B. B. Broonzy [1935] Wabash
Publishing, Arranged by R. Stroger, Copyright Control,
BMI)
6. He's
Not Good For Me 3:01
(D. Farr, Deitra Farr Music,
BMI)
7. My
Woman Is An Old Black Spider 3:54
(P.
Lacocque/J. O. Wheeler, Ransart Music/O. J. Y. Music,
BMI)
8. Moanin'
and Cryin' 6:10
(P. Lacocque, Ransart Music,
BMI)
9. Kindhearted
Fool 4:00
(P. Lacocque, Ransart Music,
BMI)
10. Lonely
Nights No More 4:28
(P. Lacocque, Ransart Music,
BMI)
11. The
Wrong Guy 4:31
(P. Lacocque/J. O. Wheeler,
Ransart Music/O. J. Y. Music, BMI)
12. How
Long Can A Man Be Poor 6:39
(P.
Lacocque, Ransart Music, BMI)
13. Got
To Change Your Ways 3:10
(P.
Lacocque, Ransart Music, BMI)
14. Bull
Frog Hop 3:23
(W. Flynn, Easy Baby Music,
BMI)
15. Mean
Old World 6:59
(M. W. Jacobs, Arc Music Corporation,
BMI) |
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"Straight
From the Heart" launched Mississippi Heat solidly
into the Chicago blues scene in January 1993. Since then
we replaced our singer-drummer Robert Covington with singer
Deitra Farr and drummer Allen Kirk. Robert, the original
Mississippian in our band, simply had too many commitments
to be able to play with us on a regular basis. Although
he is not with us any longer he and Pierre continue their
musical relationship through song-writing for future projects.
The impelling force for this album is to introduce Deitra
Farr with Mississippi Heat. Sterliung Plumpp, Assistant
Professor of Black Studies at the University of Illinois
at Chicago, and poet, says it best when he wrote: "...her
message is conveyed because she literally brings the tool
kit of the church with her; she is deeply immersed in
the sacred waters of the gospel and therefore hums, groans
and shuffles her voice to both state and insinuate meanings...she
might have drowned in her own tears [but] because of the
power of her delivery... she has wings and will not let
somebody 'worry her life anymore.' " (In At Chicago,
Feb. 7, 1990)
For this album Deitra is recording an array of original
songs: Two of her own, five of Pierre's composition, and
one very special gift to us and you,her superb rendering
of Mean Old World. This song, her theme song, is an arrangement
of two of Little Walter's songs. When, some ten years
ago, Billy Branch invited her on stage to sing a song
at B.L.U.E.S., Deitra uncharacteristically accepted. Her
rendition of Mean Old World and the audience's response
inspired her to launce into Tonight With A Fool. This
mixing of these two songs into one particularly encapsulates
her power, passion, and extraordinary sensitivity. Her
voice and agony resonate as though through a cavernous
pit and when she puts the microphone down and "walks
the floor" to sing Mean Old World acoustically, the
entranced audience opens up and touches her in return.
When Mississippi Heat was named Top Blues Band and one
of the top three bands overall at the Montreal International
Jazz Festival 1993, by Serge Truffault, a reporter at
Le Devoir, it was largely because of the mystical power
Deitra brings to our performances.
When we thought we had it all, Allen Kirk stepped in to
drum for us. Allen immediately added a spark. For many
years he played with The Chicago Diamonds, and, later,
with The Fabulous Fishheads. Steve Freund brought him
to Sunnyland Slim, Bob Stroger, and Sam Burkhardt (The
Big Four), when Robert Covington was out of town. Allen
credits his drumming style to these superb veterans. During
our tour of Quebec and Ontario in July 1993, Bob Stroger
and Allen Kirk worked together and refined a musical bond
that is the key to our sound. We marvel at the rich simplicity
of Allen and Bob's work.
Another treat for us, and indeed a special gift, is Bob
Stroger's first vocal recording! Keep Your Hands Off Her
is a song Bob arranged from a 1935 Big Bill Broonzy's
song. This song has become a part of Mississippi Heat's
repertoire because it wonderfully reflects a deep feeling
we share towards Deitra. Indeed, when Bob touchingly refers
to Mississippi Heat aas his family, we intuit that he
refers specially to the love and joy Deitra brings to
our band. Bob Stroger's charisma is sung all over. A quieter
man has never been more powerfully felt and noticed! As
the band's veteran, Bob is our quiet leader. Bob is "Straight
From The Heart."
Billy Flynn continues to lift us with his quiet and uncanny
ability to inspire us and audiences alike. HIs culture,
his knowledge of blues repertoire and history, his ability
to express musically the depth of his emotions and his
extraordinary guitar carry us each night to new heights.
(Thank you David Waldman!) As David Whiteis, Critics Choice
columnist wrote in the April 2, 1993 edition of the Chicago
Reader, "...Flynn is a fiery, emotional player for
whom the old blues sounds are as urgent now as the were
for the Delta migrants who created them in the late 40's
and early 50's." Billy composes and plays every day
of his life. Each time we travel, he lets us hear new
musical arrangements, new chords, or simply wonderful
renditions of this favorite 30's and 40's songs. Every
night is a great night for Billy Flynn! Passionate with
superb form, restrained but always ready to explode, Billy's
artistry and commitment are a continuous reminder of our
task.
James Wheeler's calm and debonair attiude belies his deep
emotions when he plays. James, our other veteran, keeps
usdown to earth singing the "you-done-me-wrong blues."
James Wheeler's gentle blues is profoundly felt and conveyed.
He has long inspired musicians with his effective guitar
licks and with his blues sense.
Wheeler's genis is particularly displayed on four cuts
on this album: How Long Can A Man Be Poor, Let's Pack
Our Bags, My Woman Is An Old Black Spider, and The Wrong
Guy. His experience with lyrics helped with some of these
songs. We decided to include James as co-author to three
of Pierre's songs because he offered valuable suggestions
and therefore became part of the creative process.
Pierre continues to create an original sound while staying
faithful tho the traditional Chicago-style harp playing.
David Whiteis wrote in the aforementioned article that
"Pierre Lacocque is that rare younger-generation
harpist who's absorbed the lessons of subtlety, silence,
and solo construction from the masters...as well as their
raucous, hawk like tonal power." Pierre's thirst
for expressing his blues has no bound. The enthusiasm
and the reverence he has for his music and his band are
at the heart of MIssissppi Heat.
LEARNED THE HARD WAY (Van der Linden recordings - VR101)
Personnel: Personnel:
Pierre Lacocque, Deitra Farr, Billy Flynn, James Wheeler,
Bob Stroger, Alan Kirk. |
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