From class to creating an album, the Banana Royales swing into their own style

Have you ever tried to order a Banana Royale from Dunkin’ Donuts? Because you can’t. What was one professor’s funny story turned into the inspiration behind a student jazz band here at Liberty. The Banana Royales consists of students John Mesh on bass, Jacob Lovell on guitar, Christopher Spano on guitar and vocals and Nolan Hays on drums.

The name “The Banana Royales” is an inside joke from when the original members’ professor, Dwight Spencer, tried to order a Banana Royale ice cream from Dunkin’ Donuts. The band name was originally proposed as a joke, but when no one objected, it became its moniker. 

The band sprang into existence in a jazz guitar ensemble class. Mesh, Lovell, Spano and Ryan Boydstun, the original guitarist who is no longer in the band, met in the class. Mesh and Boydstun recorded a single together, called “Freddie Freeloader,” and when Lovell wanted to join in the music creation, they formed a band.

Some members of the band have come and gone, but their impact is still evident. 

“(I’d like to shout out) Ryan Hedrick. He was our keys player for a couple months. … He was a huge help,” Mesh said. “And obviously Ryan Boydstun. He was in from the beginning. He play(ed) on the whole album, and we miss him.”

The band released its debut album “A Night that would Never End” this past July. It took 13 months of recording songs, the first one of which, “Crisis,” was recorded on an iPad in Mesh’s dorm room. Liberty alumni Keith Cramer produced the rest of the album in the Mathena Recording Studio in the School of Music. 

Most of the songs on the album are covers or melodies taken from classes that the band added its own twist on. However, a few are entirely original, including “Blue Banana from Space” which was written by the four of them. The band draws inspiration from jazz artists like Charlie Parker, Joe Pass, Miles Davis, Benny Goodman and Bill Evans. 

A big reason the Banana Royales plays classic jazz as opposed to other genres is because there is room for improvisation. If the band wants to extend a solo, it can. If the band wants to change the sound of a piece halfway through, it can.

“I think, in a way, improv is our biggest strength and greatest weakness,” Lovell said. “When it goes really well, it’s our biggest strength because we can feed off of each other and we can stay in tune with each other really well. When it doesn’t go well, it can trainwreck the entire show.”

Leading up to the release of its debut, the band practiced at least once a week. But with the start of a new semester and loads of coursework, the members have been taking a more relaxed approach and are focusing on their classes. That being said, a second album is in the works, and this one will feature more original songs.

Overall, the band’s main priority is to have fun. The members plan to take things one step at a time with their music. 

“We don’t take ourselves too seriously,” Spano said. “Because on a campus with a school of music with so many really talented musicians, it gets competitive at times. I feel like we’re just here to have fun, and I feel like people gather that when we perform.”

Whenever the band gets together, it’s always a good time. 

“I tolerate these guys,” Hays said. “Nah, I’m just kidding. It’s so much fun. We always get together and we’re just laughing all the time. Lots of good laughs, lots of fun performing. I think the coolest gig that we got to do was Coffeehouse.”

The Banana Royales opened the Spring 2023 Coffeehouse with “Sadie Hawkins Dance.” The song deviated from the band’s usual classic jazz, which is something it wants to keep experimenting with in the future. The Royales plan to add rock, blues and even country elements in its next performance for a more Halloween-like feel.

The band will be performing on campus at the Monster Mash on Oct. 27 where a guest faculty member will be joining them. The Banana Royales will also be performing at Madison House of the Arts on Nov. 11. The schedule for the Banana Royales can be found on Instagram.

Bear is the feature editor for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X