Bios

Deb Smith

– Lead and Backing Vocals

Deb Smith takes the lead on vocals, using the depth and range of her voice to deliver passion and raw emotion. When Deb sings a song, she owns it, communicating her joy in singing and love of music. Her decades of experience as a musician, vocalist and entertainer and evident, and her thriving career stretches through the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, winding through the Seattle area and dipping into the gambling centers of Nevada. Become swept up in her exuberance and authentic passion for storytelling. She has a voice like no other.

Martin Beal

– Lead and Backing Vocals

Martin has been performing and teaching for more than 40years! He has a Bachelor in Music from CSU Sacramento and a Master in Music from University of Southern California. The variety of stage work he has enjoyed includessingingin a gospel group as back up to Earth, Wind, and Fire, singing with the Los Angeles Jazz Choir backing up Rosemary Clooneyandsinging with theLos Angeles Chamber Singers.

Martin has 3 albums available on iTunes, Spotify and Amazon. “My Irish Eyes”, “Martin Bealwith a Touch of Brass”and “Smile”. Songs from “Smile”hit number one on several Jazz stations around the world.Heis working on his fourthalbum ofBroadway Tunesdueto be released Spring of 2023.

Aaron Gayden

– Lead, Backing Vocals, and Keys

Singer and keyboardist Aaron Gayden brings the groove, playing not only with HipNosisbut his own, self-named every occasion band. This multi-instrumentalist has composed music for an amusement park, TV and film and worked with Grammy winning songwriter-producer Kuk Harrell (Beyonce, Usher, Mary J. Blige). Touring with Latin Music Hall of Fame artist, Juan Gabriel, Gayden has performed across the US and in Mexico, Japan and the Bahamas. A very diverse performer, Gayden is comfortable playing R&B, jazz and gospel, folk, country rock, dance and far beyond. His versatile voice may even be partof some of your favorite Roland Keyboard sounds.

Bill Vallaire

– Guitar and Backing vocals

Bill Vallaire brings the heat and fire on guitar and vocals as a 40-year veteran of San Francisco Bay area bands, including touring with blues singer Sista Monica and Blues at Eleven. Originally from Monterey, he studied under the late jazz composer-arranger Don Schamber and guitarist Craig Callas. Centered in Cameron Park, Vallaire has a recording studio at the ready, using his wealth of experience to produce danceable grooves and soulful sounds for upcoming artists in the Sacramento area.

Peter Mancina

– Bass

Want to get funky? Call on bass player Peter Mancini, an eclectic musician and high school band director for Mesa Verde High Schoolin Citrus Heights, who also plays in the Sac City Little Big Band. Mancini got the music bug early, playing bass for a punk garage band in middle school, but it was meeting Jaco Pastorius when he was in high school that sealed his fate. Even though Mancinihas a graduate degree in chemistry, he learned his true formula was funk. In addition to his share of gigging in the Sacramento area, he also inspires his students in jazz band, concert band, chorus and other ensembles. One thing you can be certain about Mancini, he’s got the funk.

Rob Ringger

– Drums and Backing Vocals

Rob Ringger wields the sticks, keeping a propulsive beat on the drums that pulls dancers out of their seats. A multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer and music teacher, Ringger operates Ringgerstudios with his wife Brooke, a vocalist. A sly sense of humor keeps his five kids, and the HipNosis band, all in perspective.

Gerald Jonutz

– Alto and Tenor Saxophone

Saxophonist Gerald Jonutz has the finest pedigree a horn player in this state can carry. An original member of Cold Blood, with Tower of Power connections, Jonutz has toured with Lydia Penseand shared the stage with Elvin Bishop, Santana, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Blood, Sweat and Tears, the Who and the list goes on and on. When Jonutz hits the stage, his horn play sets the tempo and his melodies energize the room with an excitement that makes you want to move and groove with the music.

Paul Simmons

– Trumpet, Flugelhorn, and Backing Vocals

You could say Paul Simmons does it all. Playing trumpet, flugelhorn and singing backup for Hipnosis, Simmons also writes some of the band’s brass arrangements. Straddling genre --from classical to jazz, rock, soul and funk --and performing in a myriad of ensembles, Simmons is on just about every stage in the region. And California isn’t his only venue, Simmons has played with bands in the Philadelphia area, Las Vegas and Manhattan, putting his master’s degree in music to work. When Simmons isn’t crafting tasty horn fills, or playing with a symphony, you might find him on the long-distance running path.

Steve Gonsoulin

– Trombone

Steve Gonsoulin's musical expertise covers a wide range of styles. You can find Steve playing everything from classical trombone, rock and funk, salsa, Dixie Land, jazz and big band. As a pit musician, Steve has accompanied over 50 Broadway musicals. He also currently leads a 17 piece big band in Sacramento called Herdin' Cats Big Band Jazz.

Bob Hansen

– Tenor and Baritone Saxophone, Backing Vocals, and Musical Director

As the vision of multi-instrumentalist Bob Hansen, HipNosisis the culmination of 45 years of music, realizing his dream of pulling together the best artists and using his artistic vision to guide and provide arrangements for the band. He’s appeared in Late for Dinner, Aftershock, The Pickups, After Hours and the Deb Smith Band on sax and backing vocals.