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Sammy Cirovalo and his sultry leads are a staple of the Special Characters sound. His upbringing in the blues scene, gigging in Sting Ray Delpoire’s Whiskey Hill project, and lead guitar-work for the legendary SPUD, all shaped the jam powerhouse that is Sammy Cirovalo. We like to get out there. Sammy often will lead us through the darkness as we deconstruct and discover new paths.

Mike Allen is the chief ambassador of rhythm in this merry band of misfits. Born from a variety of musical backgrounds, he spent his youth immersed in the temple university music scene. His work led him to the mountains where he later joined the band SPUD, beginning his sonic entanglement with Sammy. He’s the songbird of his generation, providing lead vocals in addition to funkydelic originals.

Tristan Haraschak is the chairman of the boards. He’s a stone monkey with a fire in his heart. His musical styles are inspired by the sounds of the harlem renaissance, bringing a spiritual dimension to the jam space. He’s a lifelong trumpet player and student of improvisational music. Before his recruitment, he was a member of the hiphop jam collective, “SoundClinic”, lending his lyricism and cutthroat beat making skills to the cause. Tristan can be seen surrounded by instruments on stage, and contributing lead vocals on occasion. 

Justin Sollene is our most recent member, and our most cherished (yea i said it). Justin is our rock. He holds it down and pushes things forward. You may recognize his bravado from a band called “ClusterFunk”. No? Well his accolades stretch even further to another funky group, “Disco Risque”. His meticulous mind lends itself well to the heart thumping grooves we like to share with our fans. But don’t be fooled! He’s got a stake in our songwriting department as well as vocals. We love our multitalented king. When he’s not hammering down a hypnotic bass groove, he’s seamlessly weaving tales of titans of the deep into soaring melodies.