Keith Barry (born 1963or1964)[1] 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.[2] He has collaborated with groups including Gov't Mule and Thelonious Monster. Tree is the co-founder and former dean of the Silverlake Conservatory of Music.
Tree was a native of New York City. He lived with his mother and sister in Far Rockaway before the family relocated to rural New Jersey. At the age of 12, Tree moved in with his father who lived in Los Angeles.[3]
Tree was a prodigious music student. He was drawn to the viola after meeting Novi Novog, and was later taught by Norman Botnick. Although viola was his preferred instrument, he sought to learn a new instrument each semester of band.[3]
Tree returned to Los Angeles. 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.[8] He is credited with playing viola and arranging horns on their first album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers.[9] Tree returned to the band in 1989, playing tenor saxophone on the album Mother's Milk.[10] Tree joined on the Mother's Milk Tour and the band played as a quintet.[11]
Tree worked as a music teacher. In 2001, Flea and Tree co founded the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, where Tree served as the Conservatory's dean.[5][12][13] Tree, a noted instrumentalist, taught many of the classes himself. In 2004, the Los Angeles Times called him "a master of nearly every instrument".[1]
Tree is a believer in the car-free movement. He relocated to Humboldt County in 2019 citing increasingly dangerous conditions for cyclists in Los Angeles.[3] That year, Tree joined the All Seasons Orchestra of Arcata, California on viola.[14] In 2020, he retired from teaching at Silverlake.[15]
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