Mississippi Heat in London

Charlotte Street Blues is a new blues bar in central London and it has the makings of being a really good venue. It has tasteful decor, reasonably priced drinks and promises blues seven nights a week with major live US acts most Saturdays. If future bands are anything like as good as Mississippi Heat who played there last night the club can't fail.

Mississippi Heat hail rather confusingly from Chicago and are led by Pierre Lecocque who was born in Israel of Christian-Belgian parents and moved to Chicago aged 16 where he discovered the blues. He's an excellent blues harmonica player, but the key to the band's success last night lay with Carl Weathersby, a guitarist in the Albert King mould who showed just how proficient he is in a range of styles. Carl has recorded several albums in his own right and played Porretta a few years ago as Dave Carroll fondly remembered. Providing vocals was Rhonda Preston, a slim strong voiced blues warbler who could get deeply soulful when required. Rhonda must be a fairly new addition to the line up as I don't see her featured on the band's website http://www.mississippiheat.net/

Altogether a really enjoyable evening and a great start for the new venue.