Mike Alvarez is a Progressive Rock Cellist born in the Philippines whose family moved to the United States before his first birthday.

Mike is an avid progressive rock fan who started his musical life learning the piano. After trying the violin, he discovered that he liked the cello better, even though it towered over him at the time. A self-taught guitarist, bassist, and percussionist, he returned to his true musical love and has since been a highly sought-after accompanist onstage and in the studio. Some of his proudest musical moments were spent onstage with Erik Norlander, Lana Lane, Mark McCrite, Don Schiff, Vinny Appice, and Nima & Merge. Other notable partnerships have been with Bridget Brigitte, Scot Taber, Rustik Ballyd, and Michele Shipp. He occasionally records and performs solo as the One Dude Orchestra.

His main musical project these days is the Bass Clef Experiment, a duo with Bass Guitarist Greg Gohde. Strictly speaking, this duo is not Progressive Rock, but they have progressive elements. Occasionally they are expanded into a trio with a drummer chosen for the occasion. He is also moderator of the Lana Lane and Erik Norlander discussion group at Yahoo! Groups. He guested on Erik's 2005 album "Hommage Symphonique."

Mike is a guest performance on the debut album by Roswell Six. It is a project based on the upcoming "Terra Incognita" trilogy of novels by popular science fiction writer, Kevin J. Anderson, who along with his wife wrote all the lyrics for the album.

MEMBERS

One Dude Orchestra
Mike Alvarez (Cello, Keyboards, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Percussion, Loops)

Bass Clef Experiment
Mike Alvarez (Cello, Percussion, Loops)
Greg Gohde (Bass Guitar, Loops)

DISCOGRAPHY

EPs (One Dude Orchestra)

Dude, Orchestrated (2004)
I Bow The Cello Electric! (2005)

Guest Appearances

Erik Norlaner • Hommage Symphonique (2005)
Roswell Six • Terra Incognita: Beyond The Horizon (2009)