Tree (musician)

Tree
Birth name	Keith Barry
Also known as	Keith "The Tree" Barry
Born	New York City
Genres	Funk rock alternative rock experimental rock jazz bebop
Occupation	Musician
Instruments	saxophone viola flute cornet clarinet harmonica
Years active	1984–present
Labels	Saphu Records

Keith Barry, known professionally as Tree, is an American musician and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as a past touring member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and for having appeared on several albums released by the band. He is also a member of the funk band Mandrill.^[1] He has collaborated with groups including Gov't Mule and Thelonious Monster, as well as with jazz artists Harry Edison, Les McCann, and Leroy Vinnegar.^[2] Tree is the co-founder and former dean of the Silverlake Conservatory of Music.^[3]

Biography

Keith Barry was born in New York City, then moved to Los Angeles in 1977 at the age of 13.^[2] In junior high, he met Flea, and the two remained friends throughout junior high and high school.^[3] He started using the name Tree during a ski trip with Flea and Anthony Kiedis.^[4] He later attended the Berklee College of Music in 1980.^[2]

Tree returned to Los Angeles after college. He was around for the formation of the Red Hot Chili Peppers by his old classmates, and claims he came up with the band's name.^[5] He is credited with playing viola and arranging horns on their first album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers.^[6] Tree returned to the band in 1989, playing tenor saxophone on the album Mother's Milk.^[7] He also performed on the Mother's Milk Tour.^[8] Tree played saxophone on the I'm with You World Tour, his first performance with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 21 years.^{[citation needed]}

In 2001, Flea and Tree co founded the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, where Tree served as the Conservatory's dean.^[9][10] In 2020, he retired from teaching at Silverlake.^[11]

Partial discography

Solo

• Blew Year's Proposition (1995 album)

Collaborations

• The Red Hot Chili Peppers (1984 album), selected tracks
• Baby...You're Bummin' My Life out in a Supreme Fashion (1986 album), selected tracks
• Next Saturday Afternoon (1987 album), selected tracks
• Stormy Weather, (1989 album), selected tracks
• Mother's Milk (1989 album), tracks 3 and 12
• One Hot Minute (1995 album), track 9
• The Deep End, Volume 1 (2001 album), track 4
• Helen Burns (2012 EP), track 6

References

1. "Keith Barry". Mandrill. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
2. “Blew Year's Proposition” in accompanying booklet, Keith Barry, Blew Year's Proposition, February 1, 1996, compact disc.
3. Quan, Denise. "Chili Pepper's music school has kids hoppin', learning". CNN. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
4. Lloyd, Robert (2 October 2002). "This Ain't No Juilliard!". LA Weekly. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
5. Kiedis, Anthony; Sloman, Larry (2004). Scar Tissue. Hachette Books. ISBN 9781401381769.
6. "The Red Hot Chili Peppers - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
7. "Mother's Milk - Red Hot Chili Peppers: Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
8. "Keith Barry". RHCP Live Archive. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
9. "Who We Are". Silverlake Conservatory. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
10. Tenreyro, Tatiana (6 September 2017). "Flea Interview: Revisiting His High School Sparked His Crusade for Music Education". Billboard. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
11. @silverlake_conservatory (18 November 2020). "Our Dean and Co Founder Keith "Tree" Barry wrapped his last day of teaching yesterday. Keith, thank you for your 20 years of devotion to SCM and the beautiful legacy you have built. We cannot wait to hear about your next adventures! 🚲 💚 🌳" – via Instagram.