063: Mike Block
Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.
On Wednesday, November 4th of 2020, MORE THAN EVER Music is not content, it’s connection.
I’m recording this on Tuesday afternoon, so the voice you’re listening to right now is still on the previous side of whatever corner has been turned by the time you’re hearing this.
So you know something I don’t. Or maybe you don’t. But at least things are moving somewhere.
Today we have the one and only Mike Block on the show. He’s a good friend, a world renowned cellist and teacher and also a songwriter and bandleader who puts out an astonishing amount of records. His work ethic just won't quit.
He's also Yo Yo Ma's go-to arranger, a role which has developed in the wake of his long association with the Silk Road ensemble. We get into that.
He’s got a new album out this month called The Edge Of The Atmosphere and you can find links to it (and all of his music) in the shownotes [below].
Yes that’s right, we are doing a two week run of great cellists with great new albums. Last week’s interview with Nesrine was a real joy, and this one with Mike is another - if you’re into cellists.
He’s truly industrious: In 2010 he founded the Mike Block String Camp. Mike is also the founding Director of Silkroad’s Global Musician Workshop (GMW), designed to foster a community of globally minded musicians. He teaches hundreds of cello students online through his Multi-Style Cello School at ArtistWorks.com, he’s an Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music, and in 2018 also joined the faculty of New England Conservatory through the Contemporary Improvisation program.
BUT that’s not all. As an innovator, Mike is among the first wave of cellists to adopt a strap in order to stand and move while playing. He patented an original design, The Block Strap, and then became the first standing cellist to perform at Carnegie Hall. The NY Times characterized the performance as, "Breathless ... Half dance, half dare."
So yeah, he’s a complete badass. But also a humble and generous dude with a great heart. Let’s hang out with Mike.
Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Mike Block.
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Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Mike Block for spending some very generous time with us. You can find his work at Mike Block Music dot com and also on IG @blockcello.
His new album “The Edge of the Atmosphere” is out now, give it a listen on all the streamers and on bandcamp.
I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 63 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:
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We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out there.
But you gotta keep playing:
We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.
As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.
You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.
Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.
Big love to your ears.
Trevor
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