Aron Merrell Lead Vocals/Acoustic Guitar
Aron has a gritty blues/rock soulful voice that has been influenced by Elvis, S.R.V, George Strait, Beach Boys and Ozzy. Aron has been singing non stop since he was 8. His is the voice of "Sonny at the Tollbooth" and he brings an amazing crowd pleasing stage presence and style to the band. He was brought up by musically inspired parents with the love of rock-n-roll, country and all styles in between.
Axe:
Martin D2R Acoustic Guitar
Amp:
Kustom upholstered Tuck and Roll 12" Cabinets with horn
Chris Cammarata Lead Guitar/Rhythm Guitar/Vocals Chris has been playing guitar for 35 years. His first band was formed when he was 14. He has played in gigging bands since high school. With "Sonny at the Tollbooth" you can find him in his "zone" with his whammy and wah pedal style. He is influenced by David Gilmour, Robin Trower, Jeff Beck Jimmy Page and many others.
Axes:
Fender Deluxe Strat
Fender Strat with DG-20 EMG's
Epiphone 50th Anniversary
Les Paul Custom
Epiphone Deluxe 335
Takemine ESF-93
Amps:
Fender Twin Reverb 65' Reissue
Fender Acoustisonic
John Gajan Bass/Vocals
Bass player John Gajan's musical roots go back to his days as an alto-sax player through elementary and middle school. At age 15, John got his first Gibson SG copy bass and 25 watt "Marlboro" amplifier. He played in several gigging bands through high school and college in his native Long Island, New York prior to him moving to the Bay Area in 1988 where he continued his career as the solid bassit of many favorite local Bay Area gigging bands. John cites Bruce Thomas, John Entwisle, Geezer Butler, and Jack Bruce among his musical influences.
Axes:
Peavey (Millennium)
G&L L1K, L2K and LB100
Amp:
GK 1001-RBII
Alan Casentini Drums/Percussions
The amazing drumming of Alan can be traced back to his freshman year in high school where he acquired his first kit after seeing Led Zeppelins movie "The Song Remains The Same". John Bonham remains his biggest influence, as well as Mitch Mitchell, Tommy Aldrich and Neil Peart. He played in bands for several years with brother/guitarist David Casentini. He then met John Gajan and a few years of casual playing lead to the formation of the band "LostDog". He has more passion for playing now than ever and looks forward to rocking for many years to come as the rock solid foundation and heartbeat of "Sonny at the Tollbooth".
Kevin Scott Kroner Keys/Guitar/Harmonica/Vocals
Kevin has been playing for "over 40 years" He graduated from Cypress College in So Cal. as a music major. He played in an 8-pc "Horn band" (Chicago, BS&T, Santana) in College and played in club trio for many years. His solid leadership has graced many local Bay Area gigging bands as a multi-faceted musician. He is an outstanding band leader and his inspiration is a key element to the "Sonny at the Tollbooth" sound. His major influences are Clapton, Hendrix, Santana & Blind Melon Chitlin'...
Keys:
Yamaha Motif-6
Yamaha PSR-413
Axes:
Fender Highway 1 HHS Stratocaster (The Stealth)
Ovation Celebrity
Amps:
Roland KC-550A
Fender Hot Rod DeVille 212
Influences
SET LIST INCLUDES :
I Wouldn't Treat a Dog (the way she treated me) -
Red House -
Sympathy For The Devil -
Born on the Bayou -
Suzie Q -
Don't Let Me Down -
Spooky -
Are You Gonna Be My Girl -
Ain't no Sunshine -
Brother Louie -
Crossfire-
Cocaine -
I Loved Another Woman -
Lie to Me -
Blue on Black -
Someday Blues -
Roadhouse Blues-
Too Rolling Stoned -
Black Cat Bone -
Born Under a Bad Sign -
Statesboro Blues -
The Stake
And so many others.....
Sounds Like
With their gritty blues vocals, searing guitar solos and vintage keyboard influences all backed by a rock solid bass and percussion section this band of five sounds like no other. This is not your typical cover band. The influence of each musician graces their sound and it's clear that these tunes have a mark that is truly their own.
"Sonny at the Tollbooth" is a band of talented and established Bay Area musicians who bring a professional approach to their seriously infectious grooves throughout Northern California. With sets including songs from Chicago, Robin Trower , Steve Miller Band, CCR, Pat Travers, Johnny Lang , Eric Clapton, Deep Purple, Hendrix, Luther Allison, Fleetwood Mac, SRV, Kenny Wayne Shephard, The Rolling Stones, War, Spencer Davis Group and a host of other rock/blues legends and innovators, this band of accomplished musicians is sure to delight. No matter where you see them, you'll be glad you did.
Sonny at the Tollbooth's Friend Space (Randomized)
hey! we are trying to change something... our new singer erik can't be a full member of dreamscape because the stess to travel a lot is affecting his health. so we decided to work with more than one singer - honestly we will work with even more than two... hopefully you will like that idea! we like it a lot because we will be very flexible and our sound will become even more complex! kind regards! DREAMSCAPE (progressive metal from germany) (new cd november 2009! - buy or let die!)
PS: always believe in your dreams! and don't get frightened if they are becoming real! - because for a believer they will!
Drop by my page my friend. I posted a video and MP3 of me doing one of the hottest versions of “Voodoo Child” that you’ll ever hear.....guaranteed to make you smile! …..and you can download the MP3 for free!
Thanks for finding me. Looks like we both know allot of the same people eh?!! Including my ex brother-in-law Chris LOL Tell him Hamburger Patty said high (he'll laugh). Well....welcome to out little rock party eh? Tami ~Flapper Girl~
Jazz Legend Joe Zawinul Dies at 75 By VERONIKA OLEKSYN –
VIENNA, Austria (AP) — Jazz legend Joe Zawinul, who soared to fame as one of the creators of jazz fusion and performed and recorded with Miles Davis, died early Tuesday, a hospital official said. He was 75. Zawinul had been hospitalized since last month. A spokeswoman for Vienna's Wilhelmina Clinic confirmed his death without giving details. His manager, Risa Zincke, said Zawinul suffered from a rare form of skin cancer, according to the Austria Press Agency. Zawinul won widespread acclaim for his keyboard work on chart-topping Davis albums such as "In A Silent Way" and "Bitches Brew," and was a leading force behind the so-called "Electric Jazz" movement. In 1970, Zawinul founded the band Weather Report and produced a series of albums including "Heavy Weather," "Black Market" and "I Sing the Body Electric." After that band's breakup, he founded the Zawinul Syndicate in 1987. Zawinul, who was born in the Austrian capital, Vienna, and emigrated to the United States in 1959, is credited with bringing the electric piano and synthesizer into the jazz mainstream.
