MACHINES THAT FLY | BROADWAY WORLD

Mike Block Releases 'When The Birds Sing Along In The Morning' with Yo-Yo Ma

Block's new record, Machines That Fly, is set for a March 4 release.

by Michael Major

Fresh off the release of his solo cello improvisational album, Planispheres, last month, the ever prolific Mike Block, has released a new single, "When The Birds Sing Along In The Morning" feat. Yo-Yo Ma, to a new record, Machines That Fly, for a March 4 release via Bright Shiny Things.

Machines That Fly features three new songs, plus seven solo cello reinterpretations of songs from his 2020 album, The Edge of the Atmosphere. Pre-order Machines That Fly here.

"When The Birds Sing Along In The Morning" is a puzzle piece of a song, featuring the album title, as well as much of what inspired this collection of music. Block added, "This song features many lyrics pulled from the memoir of the legendary cellist, Pablo Casals, called 'Joys and Sorrows'. The title of the album, itself, comes from a phrase Casals (born 1876) remembered his father telling him as a young boy: 'when you grow up, there will be machines that fly'. There are also musical quotes featured, including a Bach Chorale (Casals was known to 'bless the house' each morning by playing one of these on the piano), as well as the famous Catalan folk song, 'Song of the Birds', which was associated with Casals throughout his life."