Here's a song that Roy Roccapriore and I wrote way back in 1980 for a 5 song demo that we recorded to try and get a record deal. Roy Roccapriore- guitar, Ben Armentano- piano, string synthesizer, Angelo Mastrio (RIP)- lead vocals, Chuck Donnelli (RIP)- drums, Ron LaChapple- bass, Rosemary Defaria (RIP)- background vocals...

"Sondra"-written by Roy Roccapriore & Ben Armentano/recorded by Arnica

Here's a song I wrote way back in 1980 as part of a 5 song demo that our band recorded to try and get a record deal. Roy Roccapriore- guitar, Ben Armentano-piano, synthesizer, Angelo Mastrio (RIP)- lead and background vocals, Chuck Donnelli (RIP)- drums, Ron LaChapple- bass, Doreen Canzanella- background vocals, Peter Randazz0- background vocals, Rosemary Defaria (RIP)- background vocals...

"Can't Go On This Way"-written by Ben Armentano/recorded by Arnica

Here's a song written back in probably 1979 by bassist Jim Reed and guitarist Roy Roccapriore that our band Arnica recorded in 1980 as part of a 5 song demo to try and get a record deal. Roy Roccapriore- guitar, Ben Armentano- Hammond organ and synthesizer, Angelo Mastrio (RIP)- lead and background vocals, Chuck Donnelli (RIP)-drums, Doreen Canzanella- background vocals, Peter Randazzo- background vocals, Rosemary Defaria (RIP)- background vocals....

"Love Will Come To You"-written by Jim Reed & Roy Roccapriore/recorded by Arnica

Here's a demo tape of 4 songs that Arnica recorded back in the 1980"s to try to get gigs. These were all songs that were popular back then. I haven't heard this is many, many years and just found it. It brings back some great, great memories... Roy Roccapriore- guitar and background vocals, Ben Armentano- keyboards and background vocals, Angelo Mastrio (RIP)-lead and background vocals, Chuck Donnelli (RIP)- drums, Ron LaChapple- bass....

"Who's Cryin' Now"-recorded by Journey/cover by Arnica

This is a live recording of our band Wayward Traveler at a gig at the University of Hartford, Ct way back in 1979. This band was the predecessor to our band Arnica. Lead vocalist Angelo Mastrio (RIP) replaced lead vocalist/guitarist Glenn Centola and Ron LaChapple on bass replaced bassist/lead vocalist Jim Reed on bass. Please forgive the terrible sound quality of this recording, and please forgive the somewhat immaturity of our playing (we were all very young back then-lol!) but Chuck Donnelli (RIP) on drums had that great groove even way back then! He loved playing this song because his idol Jeff Porcaro played drums on the original Les Dudek recording...Roy Roccapriore-guitar and background vocals, Ben Armentano-Fender Rhodes electric piano, Chuck Donnelli (RIP)-drums, Jim Reed-bass and lead vocals, and Glen Centola- lead and background vocals...

"Old Judge Jones"-recorded by Les Dudek/cover by Wayward Traveler

Here's a song by 38 Special that was popular in the 1980's that our band Arnica covered and recorded as part of a cover song demo that we used to get work in the clubs in Ct. back in the 80's...Roy Roccapriore- guitar and background vocals, Ben Armentano-keyboards and background vocals, Ron LaChapple-bass, Angelo Mastrio(RIP)- lead vocals, Chuck Donnelli (RIP)- drums

"Hold On Loosely"-recorded by 38 Special/covered by Arnica

Here's a song that was popular in the 1980's that our band Arnica recorded for a demo to try to get gigs at the clubs in Ct. Roy Roccapriore- guitar and lead vocals, Ben Armentano- keyboards and background vocals, Ron LaChapple- bass and background vocals, Angelo Mastrio (RIP)- background vocals, Chuck Donnelli (RIP- drums

"Centerfold"-recorded by the J.Geils Band/covered by Arnica

Here's a song that was popular in the 1980's that our band Arnica covered and recorded as part of a demo to try and get gigs in the clubs in Ct.  Roy Roccapriore-guitar and background vocals, Ben Armentano-keyboards and background vocals, Angelo Mastrio (RIP)-lead vocals, Chuck Donnelli (RIP)- drums

"Young Turks"-recorded by Rod Stewart/covered by Arnica

Street Temperature was a very, very popular jazz/fusion band in Connecticut in the 70’s,80’s and 90’s. This was the rhythm section of the band from 1986-1989. I left in early 1989 and moved to Los Angeles. After not playing together for at least 20 years we got together for a couple of reunion shows and discovered that we hadn’t lost the “magic” of playing together after all those years. Even after all the years of not playing together,in the last several years, when I would come back to C.T. for Christmas, this rhythm section consisting of myself on keyboards, Paul Demaio on guitar, Craig Garfinkel on bass, and Frank Giguere on drums, would get together for dinner but hadn’t played together since the reunion shows that we did probably 10 years ago or so. This year we DID manage to get together and play, and it was lots and lots and lots of fun! This tune was the very first tune we played at this jam session and a tune that we had never played together before and is the type of straight ahead jazz tune that most Street Temperature fans might not expect from us because we never played this kind of straight ahead jazz- mostly we played fusion jazz, funk, and R & B. And while this “first performance “ of the night, and not knowing that we were being recorded (lol!) certainly is far from being perfect, it certainly was so much fun to play!

“Tenor Madness”-performed by the Street Temperature Rhythm Section

Here's a song called "Tee Time" that I wrote as a tribute to a keyboard player that had a big influence on MY keyboard playing- the late great Richard Tee! I also wrote it to give our saxophonist/trumpet player Bill Holloman a little break on our live shows ( that's why you don't hear Bill on this particular track. We recorded it live at a Faux Jazz rehearsal the other night- one take and no overdubs. Paul Demaio- guitar, Craig Garfinkel- bass, Frank Giguere- drums, Ben Armentano- keyboard, and Bill Holloman- sax/trumpet ( not on this track).

"Tee Time"- written by Ben Armentano

Pop Songs

I Love You More Than You Will Ever Know- Words and Music by Ben Armentano

A song I wrote way back in the 80's for very young vocalist and longtime friend Lori Mastrio....Lori Mastrio-lead and background vocals, Ben Armentano-keyboards, Chuck Donnelli-drums, Roy Roccapriore-guitar, Ron LaChapelle-bass

"Wrapped Around My Heart"-Words and Music by Ben Armentano

A live version of "Birdland" performed by Street Temperature at the 880 Club in Hartford, Ct way back around 1987 or 1987...

"Birdland"-Joe Zawinul/performed by Street Temperature

Here's a song I wrote called "You've Got Me Under Your Spell" that was performed live at the 880 Club in Hartford, Ct by Street Temperature ....although I wrote several songs for the band while I was in the band from 1986-1989, a lot of times it was a collaborative by all the guys in the band, and it always made my song a lot better. For instance, in this tune, it was Tom Cote's idea to add the instrumental solo section that was played earlier in the tune as a scat vocal section as a bridge to the flute solo which was great because it added something to the tune that was previously missing. And then the late great Ed Fournier on flute that suggested that go up a whole step from the key of C to the key of D for his flute solo, and that worked out GREAT because it really kicked the tune into a whole new, burning gear!

Ben Armentano

Popular tracks