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 The mandrill (''Mandrillus sphinx'') is a large Old World monkey native to west central Africa. It is one of the most colorful mammals in the world, with red and blue skin on its face and posterior. The species is sexually dimorphic, as males ...

. He has collaborated with groups including

Gov't Mule Gov't Mule (pronounced "Government Mule") is an American Southern rock jam band, formed in 1994 as a side project of the Allman Brothers Band by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody. Fans often refer to Gov't Mule simply as ''Mule''. ...

and

Thelonious Monster Thelonious Monster is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, led by singer-songwriter Bob Forrest and named after jazz musician Thelonious Monk. Active from 1984 to 1994, again from 2004 to 2011, and reforming a second time in ...

, as well as with jazz artists Harry Edison,

Les McCann Leslie Coleman McCann (born September 23, 1935) is an American jazz pianist and vocalist.Feather, Leonard, and Ira Gitler (2007), ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'', p. 448. Oxford University Press. Early life Les McCann was born in ...

, and

Leroy Vinnegar Leroy Vinnegar (July 13, 1928 – August 3, 1999) was an American jazz bassist. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, the self-taught Vinnegar established his reputation in Los Angeles, California, during the 1950s and 1960s. His trademar ...

.“Blew Year's Proposition” in accompanying booklet, Keith Barry, ''Blew Year's Proposition'', February 1, 1996, compact disc. Tree is the co-founder and dean of the

Silverlake Conservatory of Music Silverlake Conservatory of Music is a nonprofit educational organization formed in California. It was founded in 2001 by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and Chili Peppers collaborator Tree to foster music education. Chili Peppers vocalist Anth ...

Biography

Keith Barry was born in New York City, then moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

in 1977 at the age of 13. In junior high, he met

Flea Flea, the common name for the order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult fleas grow to about long, a ...

, and the two remained friends throughout junior high and high school. He started using the name Tree during a ski trip with Flea and

Anthony Kiedis Anthony Kiedis ( ; born November 1, 1962) is an American singer and songwriter. He is a founding member and lead vocalist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Kiedis and his fellow band members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fa ...

. He later attended the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

in 1980. 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. He is credited with playing viola and arranging horns on their first album, ''

The Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk ...

''. Tree returned to the band in 1989, playing tenor saxophone on the album ''

Mother's Milk Mother's milk is milk produced by mammary glands located in the breast of a human female to feed a young child. Mother's Milk may also refer to: Entertainment * ''Mother's Milk'' (album)'', an album by Red Hot Chili Peppers ** Mother's Milk Tou ...

''. He also performed on the

Mother's Milk Tour The Mother's Milk Tour (also known as the Suckle Up to the Breast of Mother Earth Tour, Positive Mental Octopus Tour, The Lazy Cowgirls Tour and The Great Expectorations Tour) was a worldwide concert tour by Red Hot Chili Peppers to support thei ...

. Tree played saxophone on the

I'm with You World Tour The I'm with You World Tour was a worldwide concert tour by American rock band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers in support of the band's tenth studio album, '' I'm with You''. It marked the band's first tour in four years and first with guitarist Josh K ...

, his first performance with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 21 years. In 2001, Flea and Tree co founded the

, where Tree currently serves as the Conservatory's dean.

Partial discography

Solo

*''Blew Year's Proposition'' (1995 album)

Collaborations

*''

'' (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 *''

'' (1989 album), tracks 3 and 12 *'' One Hot Minute'' (1995 album), track 9 *''

The Deep End, Volume 1 ''The Deep End, Volume 1'' is the fourth studio album by American rock band Gov't Mule. It was released on October 23, 2001, by ATO Records and Evangeline Records. After the death of founding member and bass guitarist Allen Woody, the band con ...

'' (2001 album), track 4 *''

Helen Burns Helen Burns (22 December 1916 – 23 July 2018) was a British actress mostly known for playing comedic roles. Burns is known for her performance in the 1993 production of ''The Last Yankee'' at the Duke of York's Theatre, for which she won a La ...

'' (2012 EP), track 6

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tree 1964 births Fairfax High School (Los Angeles) alumni American alternative rock musicians American experimental musicians 20th-century American musicians 21st-century American musicians Living people