Previous Projects
Mike played for the Avant-Garde Jazz trio Told Americans. They had an intense experimental sound with political overtones. they released the eponymous EP Told Americans and album and the Grey Becomes One. Fatea reviewed them thus
'Told Americans possess an abundance of expert musicianship with energy, passion and a desire to truly experiment with preconceptions and push the artistic envelope... unusual, stimulating and most invigorating'.
Mike played guitar and was co-songwriter for Red Bird Sky (Folk Americana). They played across the UK and Canada. Their first album, Every Lesson in its Turn was released on Tree Top Records in 2012 and produced by Paul Milner in Canada. Folk words described it thus 'This album reaches for you to ensure you share in the intensity of its songs and the potency of its melodies'. Their second album, The Unravelling', release in 2014 and produced by Nigel Stonier (Thea Gilmore, Fairport Convention, Rod Clements, Mike Scott) was given a four-star review by R2 and described as a 'scintillating experience'. They subsequently released Aint Looking Back and the compilation album Cheaters, Liars and Losers were released on Nub Country Records in 2015.
Mike previously played double bass and was co-songwriter for Blue Soup who played at the Jazz Cafe, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Canterbury Jazz Festival, Ealing Jazz Festival and toured Europe twice. In 2012 they released 'Attention' on A Major Sounds produced by Paul Milner (Keith Richards, Eddy Grant, Sting) which was nominated for a Grammy.