Local band Guava Tree to perform at Logan City Limits
Local band Guava Tree is performing at Logan City Limits Saturday, April 15 at The Annex and Whysound.
Mowgli, lead vocalist and guitarist of Guava Tree, was born in Colombia, which was the inspiration behind the name of the band. He wanted to have a tie to his home country while he lived elsewhere.
“I want to be able to plant my roots in the places that I am,” Mowgli said. “So that’s kind of the idea of Guava Tree, is we want to like, go everywhere and spread our love and plant our roots and let our fruit grow all over the place.”
In his songwriting process, Mowgli writes poetry and guitar compositions before putting them all together.
“I just let everybody do exactly what they really want to do for the most part,” Mowgli said. “And then they just kind of jam it and try to like, orchestrate and pitch ideas together.”
Mowgli said up-and-coming musicians should “be a big part of the scene.”
“Go to all of the shows and get to know everybody,” Mowgli said. “Don’t be afraid to walk up to people and shake their hand and be like, ‘Let’s jam.’”
Mowgli said the band’s new song, ‘Out of Your Head,’ is about being a good part of the world and making it a better place.
“My goal with Guava Tree is to raise the vibrations of everyone who hears us,” Mowgli said.
Dan Fields, the percussionist, said the band works together to write some of their songs’ instrumental sections.
“We’ll be in the middle of a jam and something will happen, or we’ll have an idea and share it, then try it out on the spot,” Fields said. “So it definitely like, starts with Mowgli and then kind of expands quite a bit after that.”
Fields said an important part of Guava Tree is keeping the music at the core.
“Keep music at the focus of being a musician,” Fields said. “A lot of times, people who get started out are quick to — you know, they’ll talk about their Instagram and their Spotify and all their pictures and everything before they just like, let themselves be touched by being a musician or by the music.”
Caleb Hays, the band’s drummer, enjoys creating music in the moment.
“It’s like a constant evolution of music,” Hays said. “Everybody’s just giving each other new ideas or kind of interpreting it differently depending where we’re at with our musical journey.”
According to Hays, joining a band has helped him with trust, communication and to develop as a person.
“I’m the newest addition to the band,” Hays said. “I think music and life are like pretty much the same.”
For new musicians who are trying to get their foot in the door, Hays recommended trying as many options as possible.
“Play with as many different musicians as you can, even if you don’t really understand where they’re coming from, like they play a different style of music,” Hays said. “Trying to blend your influences and trying to create something, even if it’s new or weird to you — I think that’s really beautiful.”
According to Hays, a good way to get into music is by going through the ups and downs of life and accepting everything it has to offer.
“You find out what music is just like, you know, by living life and like being around people,” Hays said. “If you just make that your mission, you will find out what music is and what it means to you.”
Tracen Bradshaw, the band’s bass player, said their setlist is often orchestrated on a show-by-show basis.
“We often like to make our songs lead into each other and kind of write like a continuous sort of motion in our set. It kind of brings the writing process into each show,” Bradshaw said. “Sometimes live, we’re just like, ‘Alright, it’s time to do this instead,’ or you know, completely throw the list out the window or whatever, and I think that’s what makes it a lot of fun.”
Bradshaw said joining Guava Tree and handling what it has become changed his life plan.
“Make a band,” Bradshaw said. “It’s hard to not be self-conscious, but just get out there. It’s so much fun.”
Guava Tree’s music can be found on Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music and Instagram @guava.tree.