Mike Block, Guzo Review

 

Cellist Mike Block is hailed by Yo-Yo Ma as the “ideal musician of the 21st-Century.” That is a serious accolade for the pioneering cello player, singer, composer, and educator. He is equally passionate and is committed to inspiring individuals and connecting communities through cross-cultural collaboration through music. Block can do this because he is comfortable in a wide range of musical styles. Block’s solo performances offer a rich mixture of core classical repertoire with original compositions. He is a member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble (SRE), having joined in 2005 while a student at The Juilliard School, and continues to tour extensively throughout the world with SRE. A multi-talented artist, he has been featured as cello and vocal soloist, contributed arrangements and compositions, and earned a Grammy Award in 2017 for SRE’s album, Sing Me Home. Always seeking to connect to his audience, Block was among the first wave of cellists to adopt a strap to stand and move while playing. With The Block Strap, he was the first standing cellist to perform at Carnegie Hall. As an educator, Block is the founding director of Silkroad’s Global Musician Workshop, and the Mike Block String Camp. Block is set to release his latest album, Guzo, on August 21, 2020, on Bright Shiny Things.

Bottom Line:  Guzo means “journey” in the Amharic language, and that is precisely what Block takes us on through the eight original compositions inspired by different cultures and styles of music from around the world. Block pulls from influences of the music of Malian, Levantine Arabic, Indian, Nigerian, Persian, Gulf Arabic (Khaliji), Ethiopian, and Chinese. Block explains, “(I) wanted to see what kind of composer I might become within different musical environments and languages.” Each composition was recorded collaboratively with musicians native to each style, which gives an authenticity to each composition. “Expression of Concern” is inspired by Levantine Arabic music and features Syrian oud virtuoso Kinan Adnawi, Adnawi opens the track with a beautiful solo figure. The melody is exciting and rhythmically active. The handclaps and percussion are excellent. Block’s cello line provides a flowing counterpoint to Adnawi’s playing. Violinist Layth Sidiq also provides a beautiful solo. “Iniche Cosebe” has Block in a musical setting inspired by West Africa. His melody playing is lyrical, and his tone is rich across the instrument. The authentic West African percussion is expertly recorded. “Ifrah Web-Tisem” is a Khaliki style song co-written by Block and Amal Waqar, who sings and plays oud. The melody is exotic, and Waqar’s voice and Block’s cello blend beautifully for the melody in various sections. Block is expanding the out-reach and acceptance of the cello with his tone, musicality, and collaborations that make Guzo a must-have. That’s the short of it!

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