Artie DeMello

Art DeMello (also Artie DeMello) (born April 7, 1959 in New Bedford, Massachusetts) is a woodwind specialist playing Saxophone & Flute. At the age of 14 he attended Dartmouth High School in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. While attending Dartmouth High, Art studied saxophone with Lionel Soares and played with the Dartmouth High School Band, Stage Band and Orchestra under the direction of Gilbert A. Madrigale and Walter B. Lewis. At 16, Art played with the local top 40 cover bands: Mixed Emotions, Mixed Company and sometimes the Ed Phillips Big Band. To play he would sneak past the doorman at Billy Woods Wharf on Monday nights and make it to school on time on Tuesday morning. Art also auditioned for New Bedfords McCarthy/Richards Band but was turned down when the band members found out he was only 15 and his dad drove him to the audition.

Art was the recipient of 6 scholarships to attend Berklee College of Music, where he studied flute with Matt Mavuglio and saxophone with Bill Pierce, Joe Viola and Andy McGhee. Some of Arts classmates included: Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Melissa Etheridge, Saxophonists Ralph Moore, Branford Marsalis and Bob Bolby. While attending Berklee College of Music, Art worked with the local top 40 bands: Kix & City Lights. He also Played 50's music with Charlie Quintal & The Talk of the Town. Art graduated from Berklee with a BM in 1981.

Many professional musicians helped Art improve his skills by giving him an opportunity to sit in and play with their bands during his school years. These musicians included: John Harrison III, Rebecca Paris, Steve Soares, Dick Johnson and Dave McKenna, Rick Britto, Joel Hiller, Victor Tavares, The Tavares Brothers & Bobby Greene, Danny Federici.

Art's professional engagements as a sideman and soloist throughout the 80's & 90's include: The New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, The New Bedford Choral Society, The Butch McCarthy Band, T.J Reed, John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band with Mike Antunes, Steve Smith & The Nakeds with Clarence Clemons, The James Montgomery Blues Band, Danny Federici of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, The Four Tops, The Drifters, Herb Reed & The Platters, Ben E. King, Dion, Dion and the Belmonts.

In 1983 Art attended GIA, The Gemological Institute of America, and received his GG Graduate Gemologist degree. His studies included both Gemology and Valuation Science with Robert Crowningshield, Richard Liddicoat and Eric Freedman with AGS (The American Gem Society).

He worked for Ro-An Jewelers, Hyannis Jewelers and Sterling Jewelers throughout the early 80's.

In 1986 he founded A.DeMello Gemological Laboratory a gem appraisal and testing laboratory currently located in Boston, MA. The laboratory provides testing, appraisal as well as expert witness court testimony to private individuals, banks, the diamond jewelery trade, law enforcement including the FBI, US Secret Service, Drug Enforcement Administration as well as The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and The New York Police Department.

In addition to expert witness testimony, Art has been featured on: WLNE TV-6, WBZ TV-4 News with Paula Ebben and other CBS affiliates, Boston WCVB-TV-5 Chronicle and the following CBS Syndicated Judge Shows produced by Sony Pictures Television: Judge Judy, Judge Hatchet, Judge Maria Lopez & Judge David Young. Art has also appeared in the movie:" Bourne Supremacy"