Francisco Mela w. Matthew Shipp

Francisco Mela is a favorite amongst jazz's elite instrumentalists, among them, McCoy Tyner Trio, <br>Joe Lovano “Us Five”, Kenny Barron, Quincy Jones All Starts, Esperanza Spalding, John <br>Scofield, Cooper Moore, William Parker, Ingrid Laubrock, Gary Bartz, Bobby Watson, George <br>Garzone and the Fringe . He moved to Boston in 2000 and quickly began as a thereafter at Berklee <br>College of Music, Mela rapidly made a name for himself on the Boston scene, becoming the house <br>drummer at the legendary Wally’s Cafe ́Jazz Club. It was at Wally’s that Mela began developing a <br>concept for his own band, one that would feature the sounds of modern jazz with the traditional <br>music he grew up with in Cuba. <br>Fellow Berklee faculty member and world-renown saxophonist, Joe Lovano, heard Mela and was <br>immediately impressed, hiring him shortly after to play in his quartet. Since 2005, Mela has been <br>an integral part of Joe Lovano’s quartet and his new group, “Us Five,” a two-drummer quintet. <br>Their 2009 Blue Note Records recording, titled Folk Art, was considered by many critics to be <br>Lovano’s most adventurous to date. In 2009, he was tapped by jazz legend McCoy Tyner to join <br>his trio. Said Tyner of his new young drummer, “Mela is just a fantastic player. He has his own <br>style and his own sound, which is what I look for in a drummer.” <br>Mela have released Diez Albums, Melao, Cirio, Tree of Life, Fe, Ancestros, MPT trio Volume <br>one, Music frees Our Souls Vol 1, 2 and 3 with Master Bass player Willian Parker and Cooper <br>More, Causa y Efecto Vol 1 and 2 With Zoh Amba. affirming Mela’s unique niche in the melting <br>pot that is now New York’s “jazz and Avant-Garde” scene. <br>Francisco Mela is a new member of the Nduduzo Makathini trio who just recorded his first <br>Album for Blue Note records. <br>Mela is also a faculty member at Berklee College of Music and Mentor of the International Free <br>Jazz Residence Sounds of Freedom in collaboration with Record Label 577. <br /><br />This artist does not have a bio yet.