Manhaton Records are delighted to announce the September 7th, 2018, release the debut album “Beyond the Blue Horizon” from Blues legend Mike Vernon and his band The Mighty Combo.
Mike’s produced albums for some of the most famous artists in British Rock and Blues including John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (with Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor), David Bowie, Ten Years After, Savoy Brown, Fleetwood Mac (with Peter Green, Danny Kirwan and Christine McVie), Chicken Shack, Focus, Freddie King, Climax Blues Band, Level 42 and Roachford.
In 2013 he was awarded the BASCA Gold Badge Award in recognition of his unique contribution to music.
Mike is best known as the founder of the Blues record label Blue Horizon (Peter Green, Rory Gallagher, Paul Kossoff, Christone McVie) – a major ‘ground breaker’ in its time and still revered to this very day.
Maybe not quite so well-known is Mike’s ‘other’ job – that of vocalist. In the 1970s and early 1980s Mike was not only a member of The Olympic Runners but also the baritone singer with Rocky Sharpe & The Replays.
“To be fronting my own R&B outfit has always been a dream but the right moment to make that transition never appeared until now”, says Mike.
Continues Mike: “The year is 1956 and Little Richard and his totally outrageous song "Tutti Frutti" hit the #1 spot on the U.S. Pop Charts. Fats Domino had similar success with "When My Dreamboat Comes Home" and "Blueberry Hill" that same year whilst Chuck Berry introduced us to his unique rocking Rhythm & Blues style with "Roll Over Beethoven". Four slabs of musical genius that were to totally change my life”.
“Fast forward sixty-one years to 2018 and the ‘with my own band’ debut album "Beyond the Blue Horizon" features tough, energising and tuneful rocking slabs of R&B in the vein of Fats Domino, Wynonie Harris, Little Richard and Louis Jordan”, continues Mike. “Twelve titles in all including nine new self-penned originals and three covers from the catalogues of Brook Benton, Mose Allison and Clarence Henry”.
Alongside this release there will be a full-scale European Tour where Mike Vernon & The Mighty Combo will have the audiences dancing in the aisles and hopefully in the street. Expect full-on 100% goodtime music guaranteed to put smiles on face.
The Mighty Combo features Kid Carlos; an outstanding young guitar player from Spain (is this the new Peter Green?); Ian Jennings (upright bass), Matt Little (keyboards), Paul Tasker (saxophone) and Mike Hellier (drums).
Pre-order the album here.
Tracklist:
1. We’re Gonna Rock the Joint (4:17)
2. Kiddio (3:41)
3. Heart & Soul (3:52)
4. I Can Fix It (3:31)
5. (I Don’t Know Why I Love You) But I Do (4:04)
6. Be On That Train (4:16)
7. Your Mind is on Vacation (4:18)
8. Old Man Dreams (6:28)
9. Jump Up (4:21)
10. Red Letter Day (3:51)
11. A Love Affair with the Blues (3:56)
12. Hate to Leave (Hate to Say Goodbye) (3:34)
UK Live Dates 2018:
Sunday, 22/07/2018, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, George Sq. Spiegeltent (afternoon double bill with John Primer)
Friday, 17/08/2018 - Old Bakery Studios, Truro, Cornwall
Saturday, 18/08/2018, Blues at Broom Hill Festival, Oxon/Warwickshire border
Sunday, 19/08/2018, The Hope Tavern, Caistor Rd, Holton-le-Moor, Market Rasen, Lincs
Tuesday, 21/08/2018, Wrotham Arms, Broadstairs, Kent
Thursday, 23/08/2018, Haven Club @ The Bullingdon, Oxford
Friday, 24/08/2018, Bluefunk Club, Poynton, Cheshire
Saturday, 25/08/2018, Darvel Music Festival, Town Hall, Darvel, S. Scotland
Sunday, 26/08/2018, Great British RnB Festival, Hippodrome, Colne
Friday, 07/09/2018, Venue 77, 77 Fore Hamlet, Ipswich
Saturday, 08/09/2018, Market Lavington, Music & Comedy Club, Wiltshire
Friday, 14/09/2018, The Borderline, Soho
Saturday, 15/09/2018, Forest Arts Centre, Old Milton Road, New Milton, Hampshire
Friday, 28/09/2018, Keighley Live, Octagon, Keighley
Saturday, 29/09/2018, Carlisle Blues Rock Festival, The Crown & Mitre Hotel, English St, Carlisle
Wednesday, 03/10/2018, Winchester Discovery Centre
Friday, 05/10/2018, Festival Blues des deux rivières, Brittany, France
Saturday, 06/10/2018, Blues de Cerdanyola Festival in Barcelona Spain
Weblinks:
www.mikevernonandthemightycombo.com
www.facebook.com/mikevernonandthemightycombo
Mike’s produced albums for some of the most famous artists in British Rock and Blues including John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (with Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor), David Bowie, Ten Years After, Savoy Brown, Fleetwood Mac (with Peter Green, Danny Kirwan and Christine McVie), Chicken Shack, Focus, Freddie King, Climax Blues Band, Level 42 and Roachford.
In 2013 he was awarded the BASCA Gold Badge Award in recognition of his unique contribution to music.
Mike is best known as the founder of the Blues record label Blue Horizon (Peter Green, Rory Gallagher, Paul Kossoff, Christone McVie) – a major ‘ground breaker’ in its time and still revered to this very day.
Maybe not quite so well-known is Mike’s ‘other’ job – that of vocalist. In the 1970s and early 1980s Mike was not only a member of The Olympic Runners but also the baritone singer with Rocky Sharpe & The Replays.
“To be fronting my own R&B outfit has always been a dream but the right moment to make that transition never appeared until now”, says Mike.
Continues Mike: “The year is 1956 and Little Richard and his totally outrageous song "Tutti Frutti" hit the #1 spot on the U.S. Pop Charts. Fats Domino had similar success with "When My Dreamboat Comes Home" and "Blueberry Hill" that same year whilst Chuck Berry introduced us to his unique rocking Rhythm & Blues style with "Roll Over Beethoven". Four slabs of musical genius that were to totally change my life”.
“Fast forward sixty-one years to 2018 and the ‘with my own band’ debut album "Beyond the Blue Horizon" features tough, energising and tuneful rocking slabs of R&B in the vein of Fats Domino, Wynonie Harris, Little Richard and Louis Jordan”, continues Mike. “Twelve titles in all including nine new self-penned originals and three covers from the catalogues of Brook Benton, Mose Allison and Clarence Henry”.
Alongside this release there will be a full-scale European Tour where Mike Vernon & The Mighty Combo will have the audiences dancing in the aisles and hopefully in the street. Expect full-on 100% goodtime music guaranteed to put smiles on face.
The Mighty Combo features Kid Carlos; an outstanding young guitar player from Spain (is this the new Peter Green?); Ian Jennings (upright bass), Matt Little (keyboards), Paul Tasker (saxophone) and Mike Hellier (drums).
Pre-order the album here.
Tracklist:
1. We’re Gonna Rock the Joint (4:17)
2. Kiddio (3:41)
3. Heart & Soul (3:52)
4. I Can Fix It (3:31)
5. (I Don’t Know Why I Love You) But I Do (4:04)
6. Be On That Train (4:16)
7. Your Mind is on Vacation (4:18)
8. Old Man Dreams (6:28)
9. Jump Up (4:21)
10. Red Letter Day (3:51)
11. A Love Affair with the Blues (3:56)
12. Hate to Leave (Hate to Say Goodbye) (3:34)
UK Live Dates 2018:
Sunday, 22/07/2018, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, George Sq. Spiegeltent (afternoon double bill with John Primer)
Friday, 17/08/2018 - Old Bakery Studios, Truro, Cornwall
Saturday, 18/08/2018, Blues at Broom Hill Festival, Oxon/Warwickshire border
Sunday, 19/08/2018, The Hope Tavern, Caistor Rd, Holton-le-Moor, Market Rasen, Lincs
Tuesday, 21/08/2018, Wrotham Arms, Broadstairs, Kent
Thursday, 23/08/2018, Haven Club @ The Bullingdon, Oxford
Friday, 24/08/2018, Bluefunk Club, Poynton, Cheshire
Saturday, 25/08/2018, Darvel Music Festival, Town Hall, Darvel, S. Scotland
Sunday, 26/08/2018, Great British RnB Festival, Hippodrome, Colne
Friday, 07/09/2018, Venue 77, 77 Fore Hamlet, Ipswich
Saturday, 08/09/2018, Market Lavington, Music & Comedy Club, Wiltshire
Friday, 14/09/2018, The Borderline, Soho
Saturday, 15/09/2018, Forest Arts Centre, Old Milton Road, New Milton, Hampshire
Friday, 28/09/2018, Keighley Live, Octagon, Keighley
Saturday, 29/09/2018, Carlisle Blues Rock Festival, The Crown & Mitre Hotel, English St, Carlisle
Wednesday, 03/10/2018, Winchester Discovery Centre
Friday, 05/10/2018, Festival Blues des deux rivières, Brittany, France
Saturday, 06/10/2018, Blues de Cerdanyola Festival in Barcelona Spain
Weblinks:
www.mikevernonandthemightycombo.com
www.facebook.com/mikevernonandthemightycombo