The Allstar Band
Michael O'Neill
ELECTRIC AND ACCOUSTIC GUITAR - Michael O'Neill is a musician and composer who has more than three decades experience at the top levels of the music entertainment industry. He has released five CDs and composed music for many movies and television shows. Michael is also a producer who has worked with a number of talented artists. As a guitarist himself, Michael has paired up with dozens of talented instrumentalists such as Rickie Lee Jones, George Benson, and Al Jarreau. Michael’s production work has been nominated for Grammy’s and he has traveled all over the world sharing his talents. His travels have opened his eyes--and ears--to various kinds of ethnic music which inspires his own style even more. Yet Michael truly has a passion for making music for films. At the 2016 Hollywood International Moving Picture Film Festival he was awarded the prize for “Best Music Score” for the work he had done on a film titled “No More Chances.” Now, Michael is working on the musical score for a new film titled “The Nightmare Gallery.”
David Diggs
ACCOUSTIC PIANO & KEYBOARDS David Diggs - brings a dimension of ‘blue-eyed soul’ to his music. Inspired by the works of Michel Legrand, Claus Ogerman and Quincy Jones, Diggs polished his arranging and producing talents, which were eventually featured on projects by Pat & Debby Boone, Irene Cara, Richie Furay, The Brothers Johnson, Jonathan Butler, as well as David’s own albums. David’s album Streetshadows was a top ten entry on BILLBOARD’S Jazz Album Chart for 26 weeks. “Black Coffee” is the new standards/American Songbook CD that unites Top Ten Billboard jazz artist David Diggs with his daughter Rachel, whose “Hands of Time” from her CD “Center of the Earth” was featured in ABC Family TV’s “Pretty Little Liars.” Inspired by his passion for living, David Diggs’ music is revealing and realistic, unrestrained and upbeat. Up front and honest, Black Coffee – his latest release – unites David’s old-fashioned heart with a contemporary jazz sound.
Cooper Appelt
ACCUSTIC UP RIGHT & ELECTRIC BASS PLAYER Cooper Appelt, the Allstar Band's upright and electric Bass player, lays down tasty lines and solid grooves from straight-ahead jazz big band to pop and funk projects. Cooper has recorded and toured nationally and internationally with Texas reggae artist Cas Haley (America’s Got Talent), The Ray Johnston Band, ForJAK and the award winning funk band Backside Pick while living in Dallas. Now living in Los Angeles, Cooper is and has performed with many artists including saxophonist Keith Anderson, Shelly Carroll, Bobby Sparks, also performed and/or recorded with Sly 5th Ave’s Club Casa Orchestra, Paul McDonalds Big Band, Geoffrey Stradling’s Big Band, Randy Waldman, Kim Richmond, Skip Spiro’s Little Big Band, Matt Yeakley Group, Danny Janklow, Dave Tull, Trumpetology, Kevin Hicks, The Fairground Saints, The Vibrometers, Paul the Trombonist, the Tex Beneke Orchestra and more.
Joel Taylor
DRUMS AND PERCUSSION - Joel Taylor, who was a constant performer with the late Allan Holdsworth, is proving to be a force to be reckoned with in the industry of all star players and musicians. Easily holding his own amongst his predecessors by working with David Foster, Stanley Clarke, Joe Sample, The Jazz Crusaders, Andy Summers, Al Di Meola, Frank Gambale, Brian Bromberg, Mike Garson, Yanni, Banned From Utopia, Ernie Watts and many more. Joel is truly an artist on the drums and a main stay of many famous rhythm sections in the world today.
Sarah Underwood Saviano
TENOR SAXOPHONE - Sarah is an accomplished professional musician. She is primarily a jazz saxophonist and her incredible skill-set has led to opportunities to play among world class musicians. She has played and/or recorded with Kenny Rankin, Little Feat, Jules Day, Bob Weir, Heat, Robert Irving III, and Tom Saviano. Her music has taken her to Mirande France, Beijing, Frankfurt, and all over the U.S. Sarah combined her musical and acting talents into an acclaimed one-woman show called "Sax Tracks", which she has performed at the Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival for years.
Tom Saviano
ALTO SAXOPHONE - Tom Saviano the All Star Band (MD) Musical Director, is a Grammy Award winning composer, arranger, producer and saxophonist. Recently, he has produced, arranged and composed the late Al Jarreau’s last contemporary pop release "LUCKY CHANCE" which was submitted for a Grammy in 2016. Tom is recognized for his work on Grammy award-winning projects with Earth, Wind & Fire, Ray Charles, and Dolly Parton. You hear his arrangements, compositions and performances on recordings by Maroon 5, Muse, Chicago, Sheena Easton, Barbra Streisand, Melissa Manchester, Ringo Starr and too many more to list.
Bill Dowling
TRUMPET - Bill Dowling is currently the lead trumpet player with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He played lead trumpet for the production of Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies (directed by Mercedes Ellington), performed in the international touring group with Savion Glover, in the Tony award-winning production of Bring in Da' Noise, Bring in Da' Funk. Other tours include the Rob Marshall/Sam Mendez production of Cabaret, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas production of Ain't Misbehavin' and numerous other Broadway shows. Dowling also had the privilege of playing with some of the finest big bands based in New York: The Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Illinois Jacquet Big Band, The David Murray Big Band, and Charlie Persip's Supersound. Jazz is still Dowling's first love, but he has also worked and traveled the world with some of the top commercial and popular acts in the country, including KC & The Sunshine Band, The Al Mckay AllStars: "Earth Wind & Fire Experience", Paul Anka, Aretha Franklin, Gene Simmons, They Might be Giants, Mary Wilson, The Temptations, and Freda Payne. From 2003 to present, Dowling has been a freelance artist in New York City.
Dave Richards
TROMBONE - Dave Richards received both his BM in jazz arranging and his MM in jazz composition from the University of North Texas. During his time at North Texas Dave played both trumpet and trombone in the One o'clock Lab Band. Many of his compositions and arrangements can be heard on various One o'clock and Two o'clock Lab Band recordings, in addition to some arrangements on the self titled U-Tubes (jazz trombone ensemble) recording. Since graduating from UNT in 2009, Dave has gone on to travel the world with various big bands and touring musical theater productions of broadway shows. He currently resides in Los Angeles where he works as a freelance brass player, composer, arranger, and band leader.