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About

Marshall

Drums / Percussion
marshall@afrozep.com

Ryan

Electric Bass / Vocals
ryan@afrozep.com

Wilson

Guitar / Vocals
wilson@afrozep.com

Libby Pederson

Marketing/Media Relations
lpkava5@gmail.com

KAVA is an interactive psychedelic sound experience that takes a cinematic approach to writing and producing psychedelic music. KAVA was originally formed in the winter of 2010 in Chicago by Ryan Behling (vocals, bass, keyboards), Wilson (guitar, keyboards) and Marshall Greenhouse (drum-kit, percussion, synths and samples) after they had worked arranging music together as AfroZep, a national touring act that fuses African influences into Led Zeppelin covers. The trio have always taken an atypical approach to writing, producing and performing music. KAVA begins songwriting by recording live improvisation sessions that combine inspiration from natural surroundings and meld it with electronic experimentation.

 

Since their inception in 2010, Ryan Behling (vocals, bass, keyboards,) Wilson (guitars, synths, effects,) and Marshall Greenhouse (drums,percussions, synths, samples, effects) have taken a unique approach to both their writing and performance style. While they have maintained

a psychedelic and experimental approach to music throughout, no two shows are the same and each release has its own sound.

 

The Early Years (2010-2013)

 

Their early years consisted of recording two EPs, Beginnings and Lakeside Melodies. The later was all taken from improvisations recorded on a 4 channel Radio Shack mixer in a cabin in Michigan. This eventually leading to their full length album – Shikaakwa, which was performed as a live set in the studio with no overdubs. This is where the band first met Rollin Weary.

 

Long Distance  (2013-2015)

 

A few years into their musical journey together, Wilson headed out to Colorado. Ryan followed but continued all the way to California. Despite the distance, the trio continue to write and tour together. Separations, was recorded in a cabin in Michigan but then finished over the internet. Their third LP, Transmission, was recorded 100% through passing files online.

 

Perseverance (2015-2019)

 

The title of of their next album, Prophet Bob, is a dedication to the late Bob Popp, a Chicago and Denver based sound engineer who worked with the band since their formation. The initial tracks were improvisations recorded at Bob’s studio, Gunpoint Recording Studios in Chicago. Then throughout the next two years the members of KAVA cut, chopped, edited, layered vocals, synths, percussion and guitars while working at various locations throughout the country. Prophet Bob set the tone for their forthcoming album – RedHawk Sessions. Vol.1 will be available as both a video and audio release. The initial tracks were recorded in a log cabin in the mountains of Colorado then finished over the next two years in sessions throughout the country.

 

RedHawk Vol. 1 (2019-Current)

 

KAVA released their sixth studio album. ‘RedHawk Vol. 1,’ on February 14, 2019. The album is available on all major download and streaming sites. There is also an accompanying video for every track which was simultaneously released on YouTube.

 

Shortly after KAVA released Prophet Bob in 2016, the three members of KAVA teamed up with multi-Grammy nominated engineer Rollin Weary of IV Labs Studios in Chicago, rented a hand-built log cabin high in the mountains of Colorado and recorded over 25 hours of

improvisations in a three day span. Then, over the course of the next two years, the RedHawk Friday night sessions were cut, edited, spliced and layered with new material. Sessions took place at band members home studios in California, Denver and Chicago as well as in

hotel rooms across the country while the band was on tour. Rollin completed the album’s final and master in Chicago in 2018.