Hello friends: 

The time has come to take stock of our short but fruitful journey as Cat Squirrel. Since getting our hands on our first album, “Blues what Am”, at the end of 2023, we have done our homework and established ourselves as a compact and powerful band. 

Without a doubt, we love what we do and it shows. We exude strength and passion in our live shows with a carefully crafted repertoire that includes most of our own songs from our first album, plus great classics taken from the repertoires of Dr. Isaiah Ross, Jimmy Reed, T-Bone Walker, Jimmy Rogers and Little Walter.

Our goal for the new season 2025 is to continue with even more strength, but above all with great enthusiasm; because this adventure is working! We have already confirmed two gigs in Europe and there will be more to come. We can confirm that we will be playing the fantastic "Dark Season Blues Festival" on the polar archipelago of Svalbard October 2025. We have also been contracted to play in the Czech Republic and await for news of a possible Festival in Germany. Meanwhile we are negotiating for gigs in Spain and Portugal. 

Our hope is to be programmed into the maximum number of Festivals and Blues circuits during 2025 ... count on us ... WE WON’T LET YOU DOWN!! 

Let our leader, Mike Vernon MBE, have the last word:

“For me, working with Mingo, Carlos, Oriol and Pascual, is nothing but a total pleasure. Four gentlemen who were born into the Blues. I am blessed for sure. Having just passed into the unknown territory of becoming an octogenarian I am trusting in them to keep Cat Squirrel rocking and jumping the Blues for at least another nine years! If it’s good enough for Bobby Rush then it’s good enough for me.”

GIG REVIEWS

Below is a list of Festivals we were part of in 2023 & 2024 plus reviews from people close to them:

Sept. 29, 2023 - GUADALSSISSIPPI BLUES CRUISE (SEVILLE) 

Oct. 6, 2023 - CÁCERES BLUES FESTIVAL (CÁCERES) 

Oct. 28, 2023 - CICLO BLUES & BOOGIE HOSPITALET (BARCELONA) 

Nov. 24, 2023 - MORATALAZ BLUES (MADRID) 

March 15, 2024 - ARENAL BLUES-JÁVEA (VALENCIA) 

June 29, 2024 - JAMÓN & BLUES – MONESTERIO (BADAJOZ) 

July 6, 2024 - THRILL BLUES FESTIVAL (CROATIA) 

Aug.16, 2024 - FRANK ROCK & BLUES FESTIVAL (JAEN) 

Aug. 29 & 30, 2024 - BLUES IN HELL FESTIVAL (NORWAY) 

Sept. 14, 2024 - CÓRDOBA BLUES FESTIVAL (CÓRDOBA) 

WHAT THEY SAID 

“We knew all the members of Cat Squirrel separately, but in them becomes real the phrase that ‘unity is strength’, with an unbeatable rhythmic base that leaves no one indifferent, Mingo, Carlos and of course Mike squander all the talent and know-how they have inside them in each of their shows, having them in our famous Guadalssissippi was a success that will surely repeat, combining maturity and talent in a repertoire that leaves you breathless!!” 

Alejandro Calvo (President of the Blues Society of Seville) 

“Talking to Mike Vernon is like listening to one of the main protagonists of the blues talk in the first person about moments that changed the history of the blues forever. A real luxury. And then the Cat Squirrel concert. The voice, the experience and the staging of Mike, wrapped in the privilege of the harmonica of Mingo Balaguer, the demolishing guitar of Kid Carlos and a rhythm section that works like a steamroller that has just passed the ITV. Together they form a perfect blues machine, both when performing their own compositions on their album (take it home as soon as you have the chance) 'Blues What Am', and when recreating classic songs to which they bring a very modern vision. We were very proud to have them on our programme and without a doubt one of the best concerts I have seen in recent times. Unforgettable. Don't miss them if you get the chance” 

Ramón del Solo (President of Moratalaz Blues Factory) 

"Spectacular performance that we lived in the ARENALBLUES 2024 with the superband CAT SQUIRREL, demonstrating professionalism and know how to be on stage, with a figure of the stature of Mike Vernon as frontman, accompanied by two numbers one of the national blues scene as Mingo Balaguer and Kid Carlos and with one of the best rhythmic bases of the country as Oriol Fontanals and Pascual Monge" 

Xablues Association (Organisers of the Arenal Blues Festival) 

“From the Organisation of the Jamon & Blues Festival of Monesterio (Badajoz) we are delighted to have counted for our 3rd edition with an exceptional blues band, I mean Cat Squirrel. Led by Mike Vernon and Mingo Balaguer, they delighted us with a fast-paced concert combining songs from the band's first album with mostly Chicago blues classics. It was a real pleasure to hear the perfect blend of the great Kid Carlos' guitars and Mingo's harmonicas, accompanied by Adrian Carrera on drums and Christian Morana on bass. It was an unforgettable show”

Juan Javier Llimona Torres (Director of the Jamón y Blues Festival) 

“Thrill Blues Festival would like to thank Cat Squirrel for their professional and passionate performance on Saturday Blues Fever of the 7th Thrill Blues Festival, Croatia, 6th July 2024. Traditional blues style was and still is the heart and soul of every blues festival, and you showed it with every note you played. This year we had a lot of young blues artists with their vision of the blues of the 21st century. The band, along with blues legend Mike Vernon, were examples of the real blues. I was walking through the audience when young Matt Pascale was playing and an older man told me he wanted some real blues and I told him to wait for the next act, Cat Squirrel, and then you would hear some real blues. And so it was! We wish you the best of luck on your never-ending world tour playing and promoting the blues, and we hope to see you on another blues stage somewhere in the future”

Boris Hrepić (Artistic Director of Thrill Blues Festival Croatia) 

“Cat Squirrel take us back to the era of the great blues musicians. There are very few bands today that can reach that level. If you don't believe me, just go and see them live” 

Jose Luis García Villar (Secretary Frank Rock Cultural Association/Organiser of Frank Rock & Blues Festival)

“Superb!" - Blues on the Ouse Radio

“Fourteen amazing songs to enjoy again and again” – LHDB in Spain

“The recording process took place in Sevilla, Spain, and the results are nothing short of sensational”.  - Jessica Jacobsen, Dirty Rock

“An outstanding album … and no surprise that it’s getting international recognition” - Dennis Roberts (Maritime Radio)

“One of the best blues albums of recent years" - Blues21

Cat Squirrel's debut CD "Blues What Am" was released on the 6th October 2023 through Dixie Frog.  Ordering of this fantastic new album is available from Amazon UK

Herewith CAT SQUIRREL offers a new video..."LET THE BOOGIE RIP"!  "All over the World, people loving the Blues"... get ready to hop, jump and skip!  Enjoy

Featuring Mike Vernon (vocals), Kid Carlos (guitar), Mingo Balaguer (harmonica), Oriol Fontanals (bass) and Pascual Monge (drums). 

Recorded in Spain in the autumn of 2023 this is the featured track off our new album "Blues What Am".

Debut Single - Sugaree Sugaree

Here it is folks, Cat Squirrel is proud to give you our debut single "Sugaree Sugaree".  Enjoy and please do feel to share around on your social media too.  HOT ROCKIN’ BLUES WITH A NOD TO CHUCK BERRY

Excited to introduce you to our second CAT SQUIRREL Promo Video featuring an original penned by ‘yours truly’ and Kid Carlos.  Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ at your leisure but above all else, enjoy!

Mike Vernon

Written by Mike Vernon and Kid Carlos.

Featuring: Mike Vernon (vocals) Kid Carlos (guitar) Mingo Balaguer (harmonica) Pascual Monge (drums) Oriol Fontanals (bass).  Recorded at Sputnik Recording Studios on the 9th May 2022 by Jordi Gil del Valle.  Filmed by Fotografofernandoes

"I Feel So Good"

As promised, here is the debut VIDEO from CAT SQUIRREL, focusing on our rendition of Big Bill Broonzy’s classic I FEEL SO GOOD. More to come - so keep your eyes peeled!  Enjoy

Shot at Sputnik Studio Sevilla in 2022 featuring:  Mike Vernon (vocals); Kid Carlos (guitar), Mingo Balaguer (harp); Pascual Monge (drums); Oriol Fontanals (bass).

(First uploaded in January 2023) ... Now that the summer festivities (here in Spain) are finally finished CAT SQUIRREL reconvened to discuss the mixing process for our debut CD, a future release date for 'BLUES WHAT AM' and plans for touring in Europe during 2023 to promote the product.  We also took time out to make a new video!  Three hours from set-up to completion...boom!  A special present for our loyal fans and Blues enthusiasts Worldwide.  Another Big Bill Broonzy tune...KEY TO THE HIGHWAY.  Featuring Mike Vernon (vocals), Mingo Balaguer (harmonica) and Kid Carlos (guitar).

Cat Squirrel - Live

Here's a fantastic shot of us taken by our great friend, the photographer Per Ole Hagen at the Cáceres Blues Festival in Spain this October.  What a fantastic night was had by all.  More shows are coming in for 2025 so keep coming back here and keeping an eye out for Facebook and Instagram posts for gig news updates.

Here is our rendition of a ‘timeless Chicago blues classic’ - “I Wish You Would” -Blues Memories’ #6.  Written and recorded by Billy Boy (Arnold), circa May 1955 for the Vee-Jay label, this song was to become a favourite during the early ‘60s so-called ‘British Blues Boom’ when The Yardbirds (with Eric Clapton) released their ‘cover’ version as their debut single.  Billy had been working with Bo Diddley both ‘on the road’ and in the studio during the early/mid ‘50s and, as proof, you can hear him playing on Bo’s Checker recordings of “I’m A Man”, “Little Girl”, “Bo Diddley”, “You Don’t Love Me (You Don’t Care)” and “She’s Fine, She’s Mine” - the latter having been recorded just before Billy’s hit-to-be “I Wish You Would”.

Following the success of that recording - which featured a very insistent Bo-esque groove - the two artists went their own ways.  Many a story to be told there!  Putting all that to one side - we are hoping that you will enjoy our re-working of this Blues evergreen: Mingo Balaguer (harmonica); Kid Carlos (guitar/percussion) and ‘yours truly’ (vocal)…and Billy Bongo (drummage).

View, like and share…and ENJOY! 

BLUES MEMORIES #5  "ROLL AND TUMBLE BLUES" By Cat Squirrel

Our April/May addition to “Blues Memories” #5 features ROLL AND TUMBLE BLUES.  The original version of this ‘classic’ was recorded in 1929 for OKeh Records by the Memphis blues singer/guitarist Hambone Willie Newbern. The basic melody may well have been around for a time … Sleepy John Estes and Gus Cannon both recorded their own songs with different lyrics but same tune.  During the late 1930s Robert Johnson borrowed the same melody when he recorded ‘If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day’.  Other early recordings of ROLLIN’ AND TUMBLIN’ (as it became known) include those by Muddy Waters, Baby Face Leroy Foster and, in 1960, Elmore James.  Subsequently this evergreen has been covered hundreds of times … here’s ours!  As always…’yours truly’, Mingo and Carlos … with Billy Bongo keeping us in the groove!

View, like and share … ENJOY!

Here we go … here we go! MEAN OLD WORLD (BLUES) written and recorded by Aaron T-Bone Walker for the Rhumboogie label in 1942.  Little Walter adapted the lyrics for his version recorded in 1952 for the Chicago based Checker label.  Four years later T-Bone re-recorded the song for Atlantic … and now … Cat Squirrel offers yet another adaptation.  As always ‘yours truly’, Mingo and Carlos … Billy Bongo ever present! 

View, like and share but above all else…ENJOY!

BLUES MEMORIES #3 "TOO MANY DRIVERS" - By Cat Squirrel

'BLUES MEMORIES' #3 features our rendition of "TOO MANY DRIVERS" aka "LITTLE CAR BLUES".  The original theme was written and recorded by Big Bill Broonzy way back in 1939 but we have used the 1947 version as recorded by Andrew 'Smokey' Hogg as our template.  We have also borrowed some other lyrics from Lowell Fulsom's 1964 Kent recording of this outstanding double-entendre blues.  Once again 'yours truly', Mingo and Kid Carlos...Billy Bongo driving us home! 

View, like and share but above all else...ENJOY!

Thrilled to offer up our version of James Lane's wonderful "WALKING BY MYSELF" as #2 in our monthly 'BLUES MEMORIES' series.  The original was recorded in Chicago on 29th October 1956 and featured Jimmy Rogers, Walter Horton, Otis Spann, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Willie Dixon and A.J. Gladney.  Our rendition features 'yours truly', Mingo and Kid Carlos...Billy Bongo keeping time!  View, like and share but above all else...

BLUES MEMORIES #1 “ROCKIN' AND ROLLIN’” By Cat Squirrel

We are planning to post a new CAT SQUIRREL video every month under the banner ‘BLUES MEMORIES’.  The December 2022 offering (#1 in the series) features our version of Melvin Lil’ Son Jackson’s “ROCKIN’ AND ROLLIN’” recorded for Imperial back in 1951.  Thank you for your continued support…’yours truly’, Mingo and Kid Carlos.  View, like and share but above all…ENJOY!