Francisco Mela is a favorite amongst jazz's elite instrumentalists, among them, McCoy Tyner Trio,
Joe Lovano “Us Five”, Kenny Barron, Quincy Jones All Starts, Esperanza Spalding, John
Scofield, Cooper Moore, William Parker, Ingrid Laubrock, Gary Bartz, Bobby Watson, George
Garzone and the Fringe . He moved to Boston in 2000 and quickly began as a thereafter at Berklee
College of Music, Mela rapidly made a name for himself on the Boston scene, becoming the house
drummer at the legendary Wally’s Cafe ́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 have released Diez Albums, Melao, Cirio, Tree of Life, Fe, Ancestros, MPT trio Volume
one, Music frees Our Souls Vol 1, 2 and 3 with Master Bass player Willian Parker and Cooper
More, Causa y Efecto Vol 1 and 2 With Zoh Amba. affirming Mela’s unique niche in the melting
pot that is now New York’s “jazz and Avant-Garde” scene.
Francisco Mela is a new member of the Nduduzo Makathini trio who just recorded his first
Album for Blue Note records.
Mela is also a faculty member at Berklee College of Music and Mentor of the International Free
Jazz Residence Sounds of Freedom in collaboration with Record Label 577.