Kiyoshi Graves has the spirit of a poet and the heart of a rock musician. With a unique lyricism that ranges from uplifting and full of hope to questioning and full of doubt, Graves delivers an uncommon passion and honesty in every line of his songs. As the son of a second-generation Japanese American mother and a father of mixed French/German descent, Graves is a rising artist who straddles the line of his bi-racial identity and combines a diverse set of influences from Paul Simon to Radiohead to The Who, resulting in a unique sound that seamlessly blends elements of Classic Rock, Modern Rock and Americana.
“With whatever energy, passion and charisma I have,” Graves says, “I want the audience to know that I am really grateful to be playing music for them and that rock music is something that should agitate, invigorate and motivate. It should be a give and take between the audience and the artist where, together, we go someplace we couldn't have individually. I'm not sure where we go but when things work, it's somewhere not on this Earth and I absolutely love that.”
Graves’ first full-length album Chase is a collection of 10 songs by Kiyoshi featuring stories of journey and discovery. The songs range from high-energy and adventurous as on the title track “Chase” to atmospheric and introspective as on the track “Finish Line.” The album also features the tracks “Everything,” an angst-ridden response to those who doubt your pursuit of your dreams, “Reckoning,” a song that pays tribute to the soldiers who fight our wars but also questions the purpose of those wars, “So Much More,” a teenage crush anthem, and “Line,” a reflection on how each of us can make a difference in the world by starting on an interpersonal level.
The Chase LP was produced by Evan Frankfort (Liz Phair, The Wallflowers, Pete Yorn, The Bangles, etc.) and features the organ playing of Rami Jaffee of The Wallflowers throughout the album. “ Chase is the beginning of my journey into realizing what I am capable of, what is possible and how I might realize my true potential. It's a statement that we don't have to settle - that we can pursue our dreams and ambitions without compromise. People may try to tear us down, either consciously or unconsciously, but we can rise above that. The album is a collection of songs that I want to inspire action and give hope to those that hear it.”
Born and raised in the Silverlake area of Los Angeles, Kiyoshi dropped out of high school amid personal struggles with his identity and purpose. “The music of The Who carried me through high school, dropping out and being completely adrift. Their songs gave me the strength and courage to keep going and not give up. I want to inspire others the way they inspired me,” Graves says. “ The connection I most seek with people is synergy - that place where our collective energies add up to something much bigger than our sum as individuals.”
For more information, please visit http://www.kiyoshigraves.com.