KlüverBücy

When pianobar crooner Mike Oristian plugged his Rhodes electric piano into a gritty combo amp, a sound was born - a sound with jazz voicings and rock attitude. The lights came on, and the white-bearded man in the shadows was pleased.

He had seen the piano lessons since age 7, the early songwriting influenced by Journey and Hall & Oates, watched the young boy's hunger for jazz as he developed a more sophisticated sonic palate. And though this boy's father's military career whisked him all around the world, he saw the tremendous effect of early-80s California culture had had on him.

Then there was the rebellion. The attempt to fit in, to toe the line, to take only what was given. The boy enrolled at Stanford University and pursued Environmental Engineering and launched into a consulting career that would have been just dandy ...

As the white-bearded man stood in the shadows of the young man's company's Holiday party, it all became evident. As the tie loosened, and the spirits flowed, the raw madness of sheer performance imbued those raspy cords and dancing hands with a new critical mission - to front a soulful and rockin' project with keys.

The path would not be straight. Because boy had the face of a young Paul Newman or Robert Redford with the plasticity of Jim Carrey, so his Los Angeles trials included those of the stage and the screen. UPN wanted his Spiccoli-ness as a series regular for their failed pilot "The Edge". The following year Disney wanted the piano maverick as their very own Paul Schaeffer for "The Tony Danza Show" ... but in the wee small hours of the morning, Mike was working with some of the best to define the sound of :kB: namely Charles Goodan (Santana, The Dust Brothers); Geoff Tyson (T-Ride, Snake River Conspiracy); and Chris Campbell (Infidel Incorporated)

Meanwhile, 4 nights a week at restaurants around LA, Mike was getting the "Man, what are you doing here ... " line. From Sinatra to Soundgarden, Mike took requests and drew crowds for his ability to attempt the most ridiculous. His voice grew stronger; his immersion in the classics only enhanced his own songwriting.

Coinciding the release of Kilo Bravo, Mike hired Shannon Williams, a blind drummer from New Mexico and Romanze Willoughby, a virtuoso bass player from Virginia with 9 years experience in the Navy Band to bring their phenomenal musicianship to the live manifestation of KluverBucy.

In Los Angeles, they've drawn sizable crowds at The Mint, Little Temple, 14 Below and The Good Hurt Club and are looking forward to a prosperous 2007. The white-bearded man still stands by, for only he knows what comes next ...