Guitarist Toby Summerfield performed on more than five albums by the time he reached the age of 21, as a member of the avant rock band Larval, with his earlier band Poignant Plecostomus, and on Larval leader Bill Brovold's release on Tzadik's composer series.

Raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Summerfield attended a high school with a strong music program, and there met some of the musicians who, in the mid-'90s, formed Poignant Plecostomus, a quickly popular instrumental band that melded high energy fusion with elements of traditional Eastern European music. As lead guitarist of the band, Summerfield performed at a great deal of live shows from basement parties to the local jazz club, and on a number of self-released albums, including Touchez la Vache, and in collaboration with Michigan poet and professor (and father of Poignant Plecostomus drummer) Richard Tillinghast.

During the last year or so of Poignant Plecostomus' activity, Summerfield also joined another Michigan-based band, Larval. The band had recently undergone some major changes after its debut release on the Avant label, which ultimately left it the project of founding member Bill Brovold. Toby Summerfield became second guitarist in this avant rock band and, with Larval, recorded for the Knitting Factory label (1998's 2, 2000's Predator or Prey). He also performed on Brovold's 2000 Tzadik release, Childish Delusions. When he wasn't making music during the late '90s, Summerfield worked in a record store, and as a piano mover. He also took part in a program at Banff.

With Larval, Toby Summerfield has shared bills with such esteemed avant-garde musicians as Fred Frith and John Zorn; he has also performed in a number of other settings, including Project Logic, Bitches Brew and Master of Puppets cover projects, and a rock band he formed in 2000 called Crush Kill Destroy whose self-titled debut came out the following year. ~ Joslyn Layne, Rovi