Guava Jelly
Biography
There are at least three artists known as “Guava Jelly”:
(1) Guava Jelly was a Bulgarian solo music project led by Erol Ibrahimov, frontman of the ska-punk band Wickeda. Ibrahimov announced the project in 2008 as an independent musical outlet separate from Wickeda, whose contemporary material had taken a harder musical direction. He had reportedly been working on Guava Jelly by himself for several months and had accumulated material for several songs.
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The project’s first known song, “Рецепта за…” (“A Recipe for…”), was written, performed, and recorded exclusively by Ibrahimov. Guava Jelly’s music was described at the time as a playful combination of reggae, ska, and rock, contrasting with the harder sound of contemporary Wickeda releases such as “Капитана Каза” (“The Captain Said”), “O, Любима!” (“Oh, Darling!”), and “Blue Cotton Levi’s.” Ibrahimov initially had no plans for live performances or a permanent lineup, and “Рецепта за…” was not expected to become part of Wickeda’s repertoire.
In spring 2008, Ibrahimov made a self-titled five-track EP, *Guava Jelly*, available as a free download through websites including Last.fm and Stroeja.com. The EP consisted of “La Fouine,” “Rue Du Cornet,” “Gnou,” “Jack Morrow,” and “Recepta Za.” The project appears to have remained a largely independent and short-lived recording endeavor rather than developing into a conventional touring band.
(2) Guava Jelly is a Caribbean-influenced trio based in Annapolis, Maryland. Their repertoire draws on reggae, pop, rock, Motown, country, and classic oldies, with reggae serving as a central influence. The group consists of Bridgette Michaels (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, and songwriting), Dawn Madak (percussion and vocals), and Mike (bass and vocals). Guava Jelly performs in a variety of configurations, including as a duo, while Michaels also performs as a solo artist.
(3) Guava Jelly is an instrumental rock and dub power trio from Brazil. The group consists of ChinDub on drums, Fred Gomes on guitar, and Heraldo Pimentel on bass.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.