Ben Dowling - Pianist, Composer, Producer, Musical Director

I've been playing with Al McKay for the past 15 years. For those not in the know, Al was the rhythm guitar player, co-writer and co-producer of Earth, Wind & Fire. Until I got under the hood, I had no idea how important he was to the sound of EWF. His guitar playing was the glue that held the groove together. I consider him one of my best friends who happens to be one of the most important funk musicians in the world, and I'm honored to play with him.

Pictured left to right: Ndugu Chancler, Steve Baxter (Jazz Messengers),
Andre Delano, Byron Miller (George Duke), Bruce Conte (Tower of Power),
Freddie White (Earth, Wind & Fire), Al McKay (Earth, Wind & Fire) and Ben
Dowling

Over the last 15 years, Al assembled a group of top LA musicians into a unit that preserves the legacy of EWF's music. We tour all over the world, playing large venues for tens of thousands of fans. In the course of my work with the group, I've been fortunate to work with some of the best R&B players anywhere.

Take a look at the video on the left hand side of this page. While it's hardly perfect, you have to remember that this is live with no smoke and mirrors. No sequencing, no sampling, no lip syncing. The group is amazing.