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“Tunes from The Far Side”

“Tunes from The Far Side” is the working title of a new album by the Mike Block Trio that includes 12 original musical compositions, each inspired by a different cartoon by Gary Larson. With a taste of whimsy and a strong sense of humor, this collection of songs and instrumentals is musically sincere, stylistically diverse, and directly inspired by Gary Larson’s timeless creations of The Far Side.

Our dream is to invite Mr. Larson to create original artwork for an album cover.

We are also hoping to release the music as a book that pairs a full-page color display of each of the 12 cartoons with an opposing page that perhaps features the musical notation of the composition, and/or a QR code to listen to the audio of the track from the album on the reader’s phone.

Apart from releasing the music as an album and/or book, we also would love permission to display these cartoons at our performances, so the audience can fully appreciate the inspirational sources for each piece of music.

Below are the recordings of each of the 12 tracks, as well as an image of the source cartoon, for reference.

NOTE: The album is still in post-production …

The Far Side 'Mr. Binkley' cartoon by Gary Larson. The patient is a clown with orange hair and a yellow polka-dot outfit, sitting on the dental chair. Caption reads "It's worse than I first suspected, Mr. Binkley—you don't even have a funny bone".
The Far Side cartoon by Gary Larson. A cartoon scene of a woman dressed as Madame D'Gizard, wearing a red dress and pearl necklace, standing in a bedroom with a closet containing clothes and a man sitting in a green armchair.

The Beguiling Madame D’Gizarde

Mr. Binkley

The Far Side 'Big Red' cartoon by Gary Larson. Two children, one wearing a yellow shirt and a gray hat, and the other in a black vest and black hat, look over a white barn fence at a large, spiky red horse on a farm, with a red barn and green hills.
Black-and-white cartoon of two men wearing large sombreros, sitting at a table, drinking coffee. They are in a traditional Old West setting. Seven other men in sombreros stand in the background. The caption explains they are measuring their caffeine limits in a contest of the Old West.
A cartoon drawing of a snow-covered landscape featuring an igloo with a person sitting at the entrance, pulling a sled with dogs. A sign at the bottom reads 'Beverly Hills of the North Pole.'
Two men, Lewis and Clark, are sitting at a table in a coffee shop, waving and smiling. Two women, Sylvia and Rhonda, are seated at a separate table, engaged in conversation. A cup and straw are on a nearby counter.

Beverly Hills of the North Pole

Sylvia and Rhonda

Cartoon of two scientists observing a group of ducks behind a screen, with a rat nearby. One scientist comments, "Ahhh ... the plot thickens," humorously suggesting a spy or secretiveness theme.
Cartoon illustration of a crowd of people with various expressions and styles, standing together outdoors on a bright day. The caption reads, "Don't touch it, honey... it's just a face in the crowd."

The Plot Thickens

Just a Face in the Crowd

A group of cows in a wooden barnyard with a sign that reads 'Stockyards' and a caption that says 'Only Claire, with her oversized brain, wore an expression of concern.' The cows look concerned or surprised.
Humorous cartoon of early humans with a prehistoric landscape, a tree, a dinosaur, and a pterodactyl, with a caption about the Hazardous Age.

Expression of Concern

The Awkward Age

Drawing of a circus scene with five cartoon cows, some standing and one sitting on a stool, all wearing black harnesses. A man in a red plaid shirt and jeans is performing on the cows, which are arranged in a circle on a stage. The background shows an audience watching the performance, and a spotlight is shining down on the cows. The caption reads "The magnificent Lipizzaner cows!"
A dark, moody painting of a house on a hillside overlooking a bay or valley, with a full moon in the sky. The house has an irregular roof with a chimney and a dragon-like creature sitting on top, spewing white liquid from its mouth. The house is illuminated from within, with visible windows and a person inside near the window.

Big Red

Cup After Cup

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The Magnificent Lipizzaner Cows!

Mike Block Trio, featuring Joe K. Walsh (mandolin/vocals) and Zachariah Hickman (bass/vocals), is led by cello player, singer, and composer, Mike Block, who has been hailed as “one of the bravest, most intriguing musicians on the American fusion scene” by Gramophone Magazine. The trio fertilizes American roots music with contemporary and international influences, bringing an exciting and personal perspective to the acoustic music scene.

Mike Block Trio

Mike Block Trio holding musical instruments inside a wooden, glass-filled building. The man on the left holds a double bass, the man in the middle holds a cello, and the man on the right holds a mandolin.

ALBUM CREDITS:
Mike Block: cello, vocals
Joe Walsh: mandolin, vocals, octave mandolin, guitar
Zachariah Hickman: bass, vocals,  tuba, ringmaster speech
Eve Wodarcyk: vocals

Engineer: Dan Cardinal
Producer: Mike Block

Music composed by Mike Block
Arrangements by Mike, Joe, and Zachariah

12 tracks, 43 minutes