Akron musician Benny Lava reactivates band after pandemic pause

Benjamin Patrick, who performs under the name Benny Lava, is reactivating his seven-piece band, the Guavas, to record new music. The group blends soul, rock, and doo-wop styles. Patrick has been active in Akron’s music scene for more than a decade. He previously led bands called Taxidermy Special and the Dreemers. He also co-founded Akron Recording Company, a studio that provides audio and video production services to local artists.

The Guavas formed in 2019 after Patrick participated in an artist residency at Akron Soul Train. The nonprofit supports local artists. The residency encouraged Patrick to finish about 10 songs. The band’s first performance took place around that time. The song “Get Along” became a central track for the group. Patrick said the song helped define the band’s direction.

The pandemic interrupted the band’s progress. The lineup changed, and plans to release recorded music were delayed. Patrick decided to film a music video for “Get Along” to restart the project. He connected with vocalist Shamara Costa through fellow musician Samantha Grace. Costa appeared in the video and later joined the band.

The current lineup includes Justin Tibbs on saxophone, Samantha Grace on keyboards and vocals, Corey Herron on bass and vocals, Logan Patrick on drums, and Hesiel Chavez Juarez on auxiliary percussion. Logan Patrick is Benjamin Patrick’s brother. Both Patrick and Costa attended Firestone High School in Akron, though their paths crossed only after they graduated.

Patrick credited his high school friends for starting his musical career. He said he was 100 percent involved in music because of the people he went to school with. Costa transferred from Archbishop Hoban High School after finding out about Firestone’s theater program. She said she was excited by the idea of studying her passion at school. Costa later moved to New York City and worked on Disney Cruise Line before returning to Northeast Ohio. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Kent State University in 2018.

Costa’s perspective on her career shifted after the sudden death of her father. She decided to stay closer to family and explore creative opportunities in Akron. She worked in modeling, photography, and hip-hop to build an artistic identity beyond theater. She said she was grateful for the people in Akron who helped her return to her true self.

Patrick and Costa write songs using different methods. Patrick usually creates instrumental grooves and arrangements before adding lyrics. Costa begins with poetry. The band’s song “How Deep” started as a five-minute instrumental that Patrick made for a promotional video for Akron Recording Company. Costa heard the recording during a writing session and wrote lyrics for it. The band then expanded the demo into a full song.

The band performed at Cleveland’s Brite Winter festival and Akron’s PorchROKR this year. Patrick has played PorchROKR for years with different projects. He described this year’s Guavas performance near Exchange and Burton streets as a neighborhood block party. He said the event showed how much the community supports music. The band is now working on new recordings. Patrick has unreleased material from early 2020 but is considering recording new versions with the current lineup. The group is also developing several of Costa’s original songs.