Mississippi Heat - Footprints On The Ceiling (2002)

01. Goin' Home [4:22]
02. Jean's Jive [3:08]
03. She's Got Everything [4:06]
04. What Kind Of Man Is That? [5:11]
05. That Ain't Love [3:49]
06. Blues For George Baze [4:18]
07. Caribbean Sunshine [3:33]
08. Heartbroken [5:43]
09. Madcat Hop [4:51]
10. Hobo Blues [3:42]
11. Still Havin' A Ball [3:53]
12. Gonna Leave And Let Her Be [3:51]
13. What Else Can I Do? [4:20]
14. Footprints On The Ceiling [3:44]

Musicians:
Pierre Lacocque (harmonica); 
Inetta Visor (vocals); 
Chris Winters (guitar, background vocals); 
Michael Thomas (guitar); 
Steve Howard (bass); 
Kenny Smith (drums);
+
Carl Weathersby (vocals, guitar, electric guitar); 
Billy Boy Arnold (vocals, harp, harmonica);
Peter "Madcat" Ruth (harp);
Phil Baron (piano);
Pat Brennan (piano);
Michael Freeman (tambourine).

To be asked back to work on new recordings for an artist with whom you have established a great rapport is always a delight for any producer, and so it was with great enthusiasm that I accepted Pierre Lacocque's offer to have me join forces with him again to co-produce the next Mississippi Heat album.

We had forged a fine working relationship together on the previous outing "Handyman", to say nothing of the fine friendships that followed along with both Pierre, his brother and "co-conspirator' Michel, and many of the band members and contributors. Both of us felt strongly that we had to present the current line-up of musicians and the new songs Pierre had written in the strongest possible light and especially so, since the extra attention we had paid to the recordings and arrangements on "Handyman" had received wonderful kudos from so many quarters and continue to do so. Technically, the recordings demanded a well-equiped and acoustically favorable room with some size to it. Tone Zone was once a gain the obvious choice and made so much happen for me so easily.

"Footprints on the Ceiling" encompasses a huge body of very diverse work indeed, drawing from a wide and deep range of influences within that great musical family of the Blues. Without Pierre Lacocque's unswerving and deep committment to his unique, and I feel, exceptionally refreshing vision, Mississippi Heat would not be able to take us on the rich musical journey it now does.

For Pierre, as bandleader and main writer, Mississippi Heat has always been a vehicle through which he can explore and deliver to both the listener and the live audience, a wide variety of his impressions and interpretations of both traditional and contemporary Blues. Also as a player, it allows us to see in no uncertain terms, that he knows his instrument very well indeed and that the roots of the music he writes and plays are deeply etched into his musical being.

Providing us with such diversity on a record or throughout a live performance, he invites all who particippate and all who listen to really dig deep down inside to discover their own influences and perhaps touch deep and passionate feelings. The result is a wonderful journey through a very different yet often familiar landscape of rich and thoughtfully crafted pieces. He darres not to follow the now well-trodden paths of predictability and gently challenges the listener to consider a more diverse and perhaps a more rewarding collection of work when all is said and done. I admire this greatly.

Working together with Pierre is always a shared commitment to the possible and to strive for excellence. It is thus a truly rewarding experience. It is my sincere hope that in addition to sharing the musical journey we have all taken during the making of this record, the listener will also taste some of the wonderful ingredients and feel the passsion that has been poured and stirred into this next chapter for Mississippi Heat. ---Michael Freeman, cdbaby.com

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