The Lawrentian reviewed last month’s performance at Lawrence University, saying that the Mike Block Trio
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My Online Multi-Style Cello School @ ArtistWorks.com was Ranked the #1 online cello resource by HelloMusicTheory.com
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Master Wu Man and I are performing our first full duo show THIS Friday, Feb 10, in Rockport, MA at the beautiful Shalin Liu Performance Center, as part of my GLOBAL JOURNEYS series. Tickets at https://rockportmusic.org/wu-man-mike-block/
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I met Christylez Bacon at Silkroad's Global Musician Workshop this summer. He is a breathtaking performer who beatboxes, rhymes, and as I later discovered, also rocks some great guitar harmonies. This is our debut tour together through the northeast, from Maine down to Washington D.C. - come join us! :) Details on my tour page.
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Musicians of all ages/backgrounds can join us at www.playforthevote.com. PLAY FOR THE VOTE organizes musical performances at polling locations across the country on Election Day (Nov 8), with the goal of increasing voter turnout by providing a more positive voting experience and creating a sense of community
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Mike Block String Camp will be July 10-15, 2023 in Vero Beach, Florida. Enroll TODAY at https://www.mikeblockstringcamp.com/
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WHAT NOW?
MIKE BLOCK TRIO
Release Date: September 30, 2022
The debut album from the Mike Block Trio is a long time coming, while the connection between these three unique musicians has been deepening for over a decade in various collaborations and configurations.
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“A collection of playful and stoic reinterpretations of Appalachian folk and world beat music. Never before have we heard the combination of these three instruments traverse such a wide breadth of music so effortlessly; it’s equal parts Baroque, bluegrass and latin jazz, virtuosic all the same.”
- WBUR Boston
"daringly taking his trio towards new musical possibilities … a rousing musical breakdown with classical music themes and progressive preciseness. Block takes a more urban approach here, giving bluegrass a bold statement, where the worlds of Del McCoury meet Mahavishnu Orchestra.”
- Glide Magazine
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With so much positive feedback from musicians and voters alike in 2020, we are so excited to bring back PLAY FOR THE VOTE for the upcoming midterms on November 8! Our goal is to activate 10,000 musicians around the United States to help turn a divisive day into a unique opportunity to build community with the people around us. Musicians of all ages/backgrounds can join us at www.playforthevote.com
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Today Glide Magazine is premiering the new music video for "Highland Ridge", by the Mike Block Trio, featuring Joe K. Walsh (mandolin) and Zachariah Hickman (bass) . It's a VERY fun video, in the style of Wes Anderson, shot/edited by our good friend Luke Zvara.
Glide Magazine also had these nice words to say about the upcoming album, What Now?, which will be released September 30 release on Bright Shiny Things.
"daringly taking his trio towards new musical possibilities … a rousing musical breakdown with classical music themes and progressive preciseness. Block takes a more urban approach here, giving bluegrass a bold statement, where the worlds of Del McCoury meet Mahavishnu Orchestra.” -Glide Magazine Review
Pre-order What Now?
Today, the Mike Block Trio, featuring Joe K. Walsh (mandolin/vocals) and Zachariah Hickman (bass/vocals) shares our first single, “One Fine Day” and announces our debut album, What Now?, for a September 30 release via Bright Shiny Things. The album What Now? features mostly original music, composed during the pandemic, oscillating between intimate meditations and burning improvisations, fusing elements of bluegrass, jazz and classical.
Pre-order What Now?
Since creating Silkroad's Global Musician Workshop in 2015, this has become one of the most special and unique communities I've been able to be a part of. We are reuniting for our first in-person GMW since the pandemic at our new host facility, the New England Conservatory of Music. Our three public shows will take place at the legendary Jordan Hall, starting with our faculty concert on August 10th!
2022 GMW FACULTY Performs Aug 10:
Mike Block: Multi-style Cello and GMW Director
Wu Man: Chinese Pipa and GMW Co-Lead
Jamey Haddad: Multi-Style Percussion
Balla Kouyaté: Malian Balafon
Abeer Nehme: Arabic Vocals
Kala Ramnath: Indian Violin
Kaoru Watanabe: Japanese Flutes and Percussion
Hankus Netsky: Klezmer Multi-Instrumentalist
July 21 Newmarket, NH Mike Block Trio at The Stone Church
July 22 New York City, NY Mike Block Trio at Rockwood Music Hall
July 23 Caroga Lake, NY Mike Block Trio at Caroga Lake Music Festival, opening for Cory Wong
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The return of in-person MBSC was such a joyous experience in Vero Beach, FL! Students from across the country, as well as Canada, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, and Germany gathered to learn music from multiple styles from world-class faculty, who presented three concerts for the Vero Beach International Music Festival! Stay tuned for next year’s dates! :)
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Since becoming a father 3 years ago, I've become intimately aware of so many classic songs for children. The appeal of these songs span many countries and centuries, and there is a simple genius to the best of them. Making this album was a cathartic experience, reclaiming songs I’ve heard a million times by engaging with them creatively and exploring their limits. My hope is that kids can enjoy listening to these familiar songs in a new way, while also providing some extra interest for the parents in the room, as well. :) What makes this album particularly special was the collaborative partnership with avant phonograph artist Barry Rothman, who brings a one-of-a-kind sound palette and instinct for mischief.
Order the new children's album: ROUND AND ROUND: Kids' Songs for Mixed Ages
You can also stream the album here.
Rain Rain Go Away is the last single/video from my new album of children's songs, ROUND AND ROUND: Kid's Songs for Mixed Ages. This track was created spontaneously in the studio, without much of an initial plan, actually. The melody of this song is so short and begs for repetition, so we wanted to explore an unexpected feel, settling on some non-traditional chords that helped us meditate on the dark and helpless feelings that might motivate the chanting of these lyrics ... Barry and I successfully achieved our desired level of creepiness, to a point that my wife actively dislikes this one ...! :) Big thank you to my Iranian video director, Omid Aeenehchi, for another beautiful story to share in this video!
Check out the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSDBgoM_3eI.
WHEELS ON THE BUS is the second single from my upcoming album of children's songs, and is particularly fun because this is the first piece of recorded music I've ever released on which I don't play ANY cello! :) I'm finally living my dream publicly and rocking out on my electric tenor guitar ... This arrangement is actually the product of me sitting with my daughter with my looping pedal. Wheels on the Bus has been her favorite song for a long time, so I would play the melody and loop it over-and-over so I could add some chords to the next loop. Then I would allow her to hit the strings of the guitar and add her own sounds to a third loop. After doing this multiple days, I started adding my own new chords and changing the feel of the song, for my own amusement. Barry, of course, helped make this a magical emo soundscape. And SEPAS to my Iranian video artist, Omid, for another beautiful story to share. Check out the full length at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSDBgoM_3eI.
Pre-order album at https://www.brightshiny.ninja/round-and-round (in bio)!
It is with a heavy heart that I announce publicly my difficult decision to stop teaching at Berklee College of Music at the end of this school year/semester. I have been honored to be Associate Professor here since Fall of 2012, where I’ve worked intensely with 63 private students over the past 10 years, as well as many more in ensembles. Alas, evolving priorities have instigated an attempt to shift my work/life balance, as I am consistently thwarted by the fact that there are only 24 hours in a day ... This felt like the right moment to create some space in my life for whatever may come in the next 10 years. Although, it's likely just a mid-life crisis ... I'm turning 40 this month ... !?
Berklee is the most progressive and diverse String Department in the world - this semester, alone, I worked with cello students from Brazil, America, Spain as well as a singing fiddle player, a Taiwanese erhu player, and a Puerto Rican quatro player. I’m really going to miss this unique environment where I can work with students from such a wide array of cultures, backgrounds and interests.
I want to thank Melissa Howe for having the faith to hire me 10 years ago, and Dr. David Wallace for being such a caring and thoughtful Chair for students and faculty, alike.
Yesterday was my last day of obligations, listening to students’ final proficiency performances, but I look forward to getting to come back and visit again in the future! As long as someone can let me into the building, that is ...!
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The first single/video from the album is TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR, which you can listen to, or watch this absolutely gorgeous animated video by Iranian artist Omid Aeenehchi! :)
You can pre-order the whole album here! Makes a great gift!