“Little Mike began his recording career backing Pinetop Perkins and then Hubert Sumlin for Blind Pig Records, so he knows his stuff; this release just confirms that” - Norman Darwen
Electronic Press Kit
Little Mike and the Tornadoes
Chicagp Blues
Queens native Little Mike grew up on the very competitive New York City music scene. He started playing harp at age 14 and took up piano two years later. His first brush with the blues came while hearing John Lee Hooker at Carnegie Hall and later listening to a Paul Butterfield record. After that Little Mike couldn’t get enough. If a blues show was in New York City, Mike was there, especially when the Chicago players came to town. His favorite was Muddy Waters. “I used to go and see Muddy anytime he was within 150 miles of New York,” he said. “He is easily the biggest influence on the band and my playing. And if it’s not Muddy himself then it’s the great guys he always picked to play with him, like Pinetop Perkins and Otis Spann on the piano or Little Walter and James Cotton on harp.”
- 8 CDS in Release
- Semi Finalist (top 5) for Best Traditional Blues Release for Pine Top & Jimmy Rogers W Little Mike
- Playing the Harp since he was 14 years of age
- Playing Piano since the age of 15
- Backed up and toured with legendary Bluesmen Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin and Jimmy Rogers
- Played with Paul Butterfield, Paul Oscher, David Hidalgo, James Harman, Robert Cray, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bo Diddley to count just a few.
- Florida State Harmonica Championship Judge 2013 – Present
Press Photos
Sample Track
“Over the weekend I had the great pleasure of catching Little Mike and The Tornadoes put on a downright ass kicking show during which he mentioned ther’s a new CD forthcoming. Here I am just finishing work on this one and I’m already excited about hearing the new one” - Peter Blewzzman Lauro