Product Description
“Michael O’Neill has been for many years one of the most sought-after guitarists on the West Coast. Of course, I can qualify this statement by the fact that he has been playing with me for much of the last 40 years.” – George Benson
Newly chosen as one of 2024’s best albums by DownBeat Magazine, Michael O’Neill’s “Arrival” is a warm shot of six-string virtuosity guaranteed to melt your winter blues. Propelled by the bright clarity of his trusty archtop guitar and a blaze of deft finger work, Michael swings the collection from bluesy jazz to bouncy bossa nova, soulful originals to clever covers – all backed by a tight band of top-tier studio musicians like John Leftwich on bass, Land Richards on drums, Tom Keenlyside on sax, and our friend and recent 32BB Voice Ronnie Foster on organ. Throughout, Michael’s experience and wisdom shine; both as leader and team player, he prizes warmth, beauty and richness over excessive showmanship. Standout tracks include the foot-tapper “Angles;” a cool take on Deep Purple’s “Smoke On The Water,” on which he plays the melody in octaves; and the ambitious “Arrival,” with its beautiful acoustic intro and Sadie O’Neill’s (Michael’s daughter) wordless vocal.
Guitarist, producer, composer, arranger – and recent documentary film producer, Michael has accomplished quite a lot over his storied career. Though fans know him best for his 40+ years as rhythm guitarist in George Benson’s band – and his tour work with The Crusaders, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder; he’s also one of the most recorded artists on the L.A. studio circuit and keeps plenty busy scoring films and television shows. “Arrival” is his 7th solo album.
