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Francisco Mela

Francisco Mela is a favorite amongst jazz's elite instrumentalists, among them, Joe Lovano, John Scofield, JoAnne Brackeen, Kenny Barron, Gary Bartz, Bobby Watson and McCoy Tyner, all of whom cite his charisma, sophistication, and life-affirming spirit as an extension of his incredible talents as a composer and drummer.

Francisco Mela was born in 1968 in Bayamo, Cuba. He moved to Boston in 2000 to pursue a degree at the acclaimed Berklee College of Music and, quickly thereafter, the faculty recognized that Mela had much to offer students and promptly hired him to teach at the school. Mela rapidly made a name for himself on the Boston scene, becoming the house drummer at the legendary Wally’s Café Jazz Club. It was at Wally’s that Mela began developing a concept for his own band, one that would feature the sounds of modern jazz with the traditional music he grew up with in Cuba.

Fellow Berklee faculty member and world-renown saxophonist, Joe Lovano, heard Mela and was immediately impressed, hiring him shortly after to play in his quartet. Since 2005, Mela has been an integral part of Joe Lovano’s quartet and his new group, “Us Five,” a two-drummer quintet. Their 2009 Blue Note Records recording, titled Folk Art, was considered by many critics to be Lovano’s most adventurous to date. In 2009, he was tapped by jazz legend McCoy Tyner to join his trio. Said Tyner of his new young drummer, “Mela is just a fantastic player. He has his own style and his own sound, which is what I look for in a drummer.”

Mela’s first CD, Melao was released in 2006 and called one of the best albums of the year by All About Jazz. Similarly, The Village Voice picked Melao as the best debut by an artist of ‘06.

Mela’s second release as a leader, Cirio, was recorded over a week-long period at the Blue Note for Half Note Records in 2008. The recording featured an all-star cast of Mark Turner, Jason Moran, Larry Grenadier and Lionel Loueke. Blog critics wrote “this is modern jazz of high order, but with Mela's own touch of Havana added...” affirming Mela’s unique niche in the melting pot that is now New York’s “jazz scene.” WDUQ picked the album as one of the best jazz CDs of 2008.

Mela’s third recording, Cuban Safari, is an amalgamation of his favorite bands that inspired him to become a drummer – Miles Davis’ fusion group featuring Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett, Weather Report, and the Latin-jazz super group Irakere.

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7
Album Review

Francisco Mela & Zoh Amba: Causa y Efecto, Vol. 2

Read "Causa y Efecto, Vol. 2" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


Causa y Efecto, Vol. 2 avalanches into a tidal surge of Francisco Mela's terrestrial rhythms and saxophonist/flautist Zoh Amba's unhinged, Albert Ayler like howls. Explosive from the onset and unencumbered by composition, “Causa y Efecto" roils without contrition; setting the stage for the firestorm to come. Mela's incantations--both verbal and percussive--open the magic door through which Zoh's pixie-ish, folk-dance darts and shadows. Born of native songs from Mela's Cuba and Amba's old Tennessee home, “Mundos Diversos" is a complete ...

7
Album Review

Stephen Gauci / Francisco Mela / William Parker / Matthew Shipp: Live at Scholes Street Studio

Read "Live at Scholes Street Studio" reviewed by John Sharpe


Tenor saxophonist Stephen Gauci provokes blistering unfettered performances from the starry cast on another installment of Live At Scholes Street Studio. Gauci embodies a fierce DIY ethos which manifests in producing multiple concert series in NYC as well as releasing consequent material on his own label and posting video documentation on his website. On this occasion, he is joined by three storied veterans of the avant-jazz scene in pianist Matthew Shipp, bassist William Parker and drummer Francisco Mela who bring ...

2
Album Review

Francisco Mela: Music Frees Our Souls Vol. 2

Read "Music Frees Our Souls Vol. 2" reviewed by John Sharpe


The three protagonists gaze out from the cover, variously smiling, appearing wryly amused, and looking stern. The image suggests a will to tackle things head on, without artifice or adornment. To tell it like it is. And that is the result: a thrilling no-nonsense representation of the combined artistry of drummer Francisco Mela, pianist Cooper-Moore and bassist William Parker. Though billed as Volume 2 of Music Frees Our Souls it isn't more from the same session. In ...

6
Album Review

Frank Carlberg Trio: Reflections 1952

Read "Reflections 1952" reviewed by Mark Corroto


How does one approach a Thelonious Monk tribute recording? Does the pianist sound like Monk? Truthfully, it is rare for a musician to replicate the high priest of bebop's distinctive and eccentric sound. Walter Davis Jr. could, but most other attempts are easily exposed as forgeries. The finest tributes are the ones that originate with the musician's language, like the South American sounds of Danilo Perez' Panamonk (Impulse!, 1996), Steve Lacy's soprano saxophone interpretations or guitarist Miles Okazaki's covers. Add ...

3
Album Review

Elan Mehler: There Is A Dance

Read "There Is A Dance" reviewed by Patrick Burnette


David Bowie's album The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (RCA, 1972) includes instructions on the back: “To Be Played At Maximum Volume." Had pianist Elan Mehler's new trio effort, There is a Dance, followed suit, the slogan would be something like “To Be Played Only on Rainy Afternoons." There is a Dance, which celebrates memories of Mehler's mother, is a quiet, meditative album, one more drawn to rubato than momentum. There are moments of ...

6
Album Review

Zoh Amba: O Life, O Light Vol. 1

Read "O Life, O Light Vol. 1" reviewed by John Sharpe


Since relocating to NYC from Tennessee, twenty one year old tenor saxophonist and flautist Zoh Amba has been keeping fast company. On her debut O Sun (Tzadik, 2022), in a sign of affirmation label boss John Zorn guests on one track, while O Life, O Light continues in the same vein as she helms a heavyweight trio comprising celebrated bassist William Parker and storied drummer Francisco Mela. Amba studied with David Murray, but her sound owes more to the raw ...

6
Album Review

Francisco Mela featuring Matthew Shipp and William Parker: Music Frees Our Souls Vol. 1

Read "Music Frees Our Souls Vol. 1" reviewed by John Sharpe


Music Frees Our Souls furthers Cuban drummer Francisco Mela's ongoing ventures in freely improvised surroundings. Already well-established with heavyweight leaders such as McCoy Tyner, Joe Lovano and Esperanza Spalding, as well as a series of dates under his own name, Mela has now enlisted pianist Matthew Shipp and bassist William Parker, two of the best in this particular business, in his quest for spontaneous magic. When joining such a long-lasting partnership, (Parker and Shipp first hooked up ...

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Event

Cuban Drummer Francisco Mela Returns To New York's Cornelia Street Café To Lead The Crash + One

Cuban Drummer Francisco Mela Returns To New York's Cornelia Street Café To Lead The Crash + One

Source: ARE GROUP

Cuban drummer Francisco Mela (Joe Lovano, McCoy Tyner, Chucho Valdés) will return to Greenwich Village's Cornelia Street Café to lead his ensemble, The Crash Trio + One, for a one-night performance on May 20, 2017. Joining him that evening will be Tony Malaby (tenor sax), Leo Genovese (piano), and Gerald Cannon (bass). 2017 has been a busy year for Mela thus far, with a performance with McCoy Tyner at the Cully Jazz Festival in Switzerland, European dates in late April with his band ...

1

Performance / Tour

Drummer Francisco Mela To Lead The Crash Trio + One At Upcoming Performance At Cornelia Street Café On February 24

Drummer Francisco Mela To Lead The Crash Trio + One At Upcoming Performance At Cornelia Street Café On February 24

Source: ARE GROUP

On February 24, 2017, Cuban drummer Francisco Mela (Joe Lovano, McCoy Tyner, Chucho Valdés) will lead his ensemble, The Crash Trio + One, for a one-night performance at the Cornelia Street Café in New York City. The show will feature Tony Malaby (tenor saxophone), Leo Genovese (piano), Santi Debriano (bass), alongside Mela on drums. Mela’s upcoming performance follows an earlier appearance with his group at Smalls Jazz Club last month and comes after a busy couple of months closing 2016, including ...

Interview

Jazz Face: All Smiles from Francisco Mela

Jazz Face: All Smiles from Francisco Mela

Source: JazzINK by Andrea Canter

Hang out with drummer Francisco Mela for even a few minutes, and your mood will brighten. You can't help but smile. Watch him perform for a few minutes, and you will understand the inner joy that music brings to those who live with in 24/7.  And, at least for the duration of that drum solo, that conversation, you will be transformed. Thanks to the efforts Alden Drew, support from Jazz Central, and funding from McNally Smith, MacPhail Twin Cities Jazz ...

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Performance / Tour

Sam Yahel Trio with Lionel Loueke and Francisco Mela at the Jazz Standard, November 27-28

Sam Yahel Trio with Lionel Loueke and Francisco Mela at the Jazz Standard, November 27-28

Source: All About Jazz

Sam Yahel Trio Sam Yahel - organ Lionel Loueke - guitar (27th) Peter Bernstein - guitar (28th) Francisco Mela - drums The Jazz Standard New York, NY November 27-28th Sets at 7:30pm and 9:30pm $20

Free MP3 Download Saba Sam Yahel From Truth And Beauty 7:53 One of the most distinctive voices ...

197

Performance / Tour

Gene Jackson Trio (Tue) Titus Ribas Samba Jazz (Wed) Francisco Mela (Thu) Avery Sharpe (Fri-Sat) Jason Lindner (Sun) This Week at Cachaa

Gene Jackson Trio (Tue) Titus Ribas Samba Jazz (Wed) Francisco Mela (Thu) Avery Sharpe (Fri-Sat) Jason Lindner (Sun) This Week at Cachaa

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Cachaa 35 West 8th St (bet. 5th & 6th Aves.) NYC * tel 212-388-9099 sets at 9,11 & 1am * $20 Cover, $10 Minimum Now Serving Desserts and Gourmet Coffee Menus from selected restaurants available New York City's Newest Jazz Hang In The Heart of Greenwich Village This Week At Cachaca Mon Sept 24 Alain Mallet with David Finck Portinho Tues Sept ...

117

Performance / Tour

Francisco Mela: A Jazz Drummer Who Says Cuba, S; Salsa, No

Francisco Mela: A Jazz Drummer Who Says Cuba, S; Salsa, No

Source: All About Jazz

Since Cuban musicians, and drummers in particular, have played such a strong and complicated role in jazz's history, the Cuban drummer Francisco Mela's new quintet seems almost unfairly significant from the start. Truthfully, it's still undercooked. It would need a few months of touring to sound more fluid than it did on Wednesday night at the Blue Note, and who knows whether that's possible? (He's also the drummer in Joe Lovano's quartet, and the foreseeable future looks busy.) Mr. Mela ...

"Today Francisco Mela is one of the most important Cuban's drummer in jazz" —Jazz Times

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