Mike Block, with over 100 performances in 2007, plays in many genres and groups, including his own band for which he sings and writes featuring Kyle Sanna on Guitar, Mat Fieldes on Bass, and Damien Bassman on Drums. The Mike Block Band created two studio albums in 2008, "Get In Line" and "Greetings From the B Side". Mike performs regularly with Grammy Award-winning fiddler and composer Mark O'Connor as the cellist in his Appalachia Waltz Trio (classical/folk crossover), and with Yo-Yo Ma in his Silk Road Ensemble (East-meets-West Fusion). Mike is also a member of Kristjan Jarvi's Absolute Ensemble (jazz/world/classical crossover), the Sirius String Quartet (modern improv/crossover), the Hanneke Cassel Band (celtic fiddle), and Bassam Saba's New York Arabic Orchestra. Mike has also played regularly with the Flux Quartet, the Knights Chamber Ensemble, Argento New Music Ensemble, and the Lyric Chamber Music Society of New York. He has also recorded on albums for Lenny Kravitz, Joe Zawinul, The Working Title, Jaymay, and has performed on CBS and VH1 with Teddy Geiger, as well as NPR's St. Paul Sunday Morning with the Appalachia Waltz Trio. A graduate of the Juilliard School and the Cleveland Institute of Music, Mike's former cello teachers include Richard Aaron, Joel Krosnick, and Darrett Adkins. Mike also trained with Pamela Devenport to become a Suzuki teacher. In the summers, Mike regularly teaches and performs at many festivals, including both Mark O'Connor's string camps in Nashville and San Diego, the Kansas City Cello Clinic, and Fiddle Week at the Swannanoa Gathering.
======================================================== "Mike Block is my definition of the ideal musician for the 21st century. Not only is he a wonderful cellist, but he writes music, he improvises, and he's fearless. Mike is wide open to all kinds of influences, and he incorporates everything he learns into his sound, making it uniquely his own." - Yo-Yo Ma ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Mike Block's witty songs, entertaining cello accompaniment and delicious arco solos are absolutely engaging." - Mark O'Connor -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"vital, rich-hued solo playing" - New York Times
ah, that's brilliant. OH NO!... Michi! Thanks for the lovely marketing idea. I have a feeling I've missed you for the summer, but jamming is in the books for sure.
new album!? when? how can i get one?? i hope you put lots of slide-whistle on it... you HAVE been practicing, i hope? (seriously, though, i want to hear it!)
Hey i dont know if this is too much But i use to have your song Mother Earth and Elgar last stand. I recently got a new computer, and my old music was gone and those two songs are just unfindable so idk maybe oyu can hook me up with them. You came to our school once with mark o connor. Well thanks in advance
So glad to hear that you love "everyone of the Voetbergs." Hey, we're sorry we missed you buuut... we never actually ended up going to New York anyway. Which means that maybe next time we go - or rather, when we DO go, period - maybe you will be in town and then we can all hang out. That would be cool.
Well alright! Mike Block on lead guitar. This is going to be fun dude. See you when you get back. For those of you reading this, Mike does some seriously cool stuff on the guitar. Watch out! Talk soon, Eric
I'm glad I'm not the only one has experienced this. I was beginning to feel a little weird.
I'm doing really well! My face is just beginning to get back to normal...your cello solo melted it off in November, so thanks a ton for checking up on me!
I hear your headed this way this summer...is this true? I'll prepare the marquee: MIKE BLOCK! COMES TO CENTRALIA.
I'm sitting here in Mr. Aaron's room looking at your myspace page. He's never seen this before, so he's getting a real kick out of it. He says "My god, Mike's so busy! He's famous!"
For some reason, whenever I think about you, your name always pops up in my head as "Mike Block!", with the exclamation point. Not "Mike Block", but "Mike Block!"
