Mike Vernon is a quiet legend. A master behind the mixing desk, his list of credits includes John Mayall, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Freddie King, to name but few. He also founded the renowned blues record label, Blue Horizon, and can be considered one of those vital forces that works behind the scenes, largely unseen but ever-present. Until now…
Less well-known is the fact that, in the 1970s-80s Mike was a member of the Olympic Runners and he was also a baritone singer in Rocky Sharpe & the Replays. It has long been a long-held dream of his to front an R&B combo, and this is an ambition finally realised on Beyond the blue Horizon, a collection of 12 classic R&B tracks with Mike backed by The Mighty Combo (Kid Carlos – guitar; Ian Jennings – upright bass; Matt Little – Keyboards; Paul Tasker – Saxophone and Mike Hellier – drums).
Opening with a piece that is not so much a song as a statement of intent, Beyond the blue Horizon gets off to a flying start with We’re gonna rock the joint, a toe-tapping number in the vein of The Shadows, with Paul Tasker’s sax firmly front and centre. Mike is clearly adept behind the mic and it’s easy to imagine the band’s music ringing out of one of those great Jukeboxes from the fifties as Kid Carlos deals out tasty licks over Mike Hellier’s crisp drums. Next up, Mike tackles the Brooke Benton classic Kiddio with gusto, Ian Jennings clearly enjoying his role on bass, running his rich lines around Mike’s taut percussion and Paul’s sax stabs. The music swings beautifully, and it’s easy to imagine the dance floor heaving by the time we reach Kid Carlos’ soulful solo. Mike and his crew prove themselves masters of their art on the glorious shuffle of Heart and soul, a snazzy, jazzy number with Matt Little’s keyboards at its core and the storming I can fix it is even better, a short, joyful blast of energy that gets all the appendages moving. The album’s second cover (of three) appears next with Clarence Henry’s ever-green (I don’t know why I love you) but I do, before Be on that train brings the first half of the album to a close on a bright, breezy note.
Kicking off the album’s second half, Mike delivers the final cover courtesy of the great Mose Allison. A stinging blues number, your mind is on vacation features some of Kid Carlos’ most expressive guitar work and a sublime performance from Matt Little to boot. The album’s longest song, and the perfect showcase for Kid Carlos, old man dreams is a blues monster reminiscent of Walter Trout with its woozy brass, vibrant vocal performance and explosive guitar work. It’s an album highlight and, even compared to the remarkably high standard set by the rest of the material, it blazes with an intense heat that is incontrovertible. On the next track, the sax is key as Mike exhorts his audience to jump up, and the interplay between the musicians is a joy to behold in the call and response leads that close the track. The rolling thunder of Mike Hellier’s drums push red letter day forward impulsively before the autobiographical a love affair with the blues adopts a John Mayall pose with rich harmonica and a sense of Mike’s long relationship with the genre. The album concludes with hate to leave (hate to say goodbye), Mike kicking off the song saying “I hate to go – I don’t want to leave!” a sentiment which listeners will share, such is the good-time vibe of this all-too-short album.
Listening to Mike Vernon and The Mighty Combo, you realise just how few people make music like this anymore and the loss is a considerable one. Music to live, laugh and love to, it brightens the darkest of days and is guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of the most cynical of souls. With nine original tracks, expertly penned and exquisitely played, as well as three well-chosen covers, the album is an absolute pleasure from start to finish and Mike proves himself as capable behind the mic as he is behind a mixing desk. His band, meanwhile, light the place up time and again, suggesting that live shows will be nothing short of explosive. A joy from start to finish, Beyond the blue horizon is a record packed with timeless R&B tunes – proof, as if any more were needed, that rock ‘n’ roll will never die. 9
