Philadelphia debut performance by Cuban Safari
By way of his trio, quintet, or as sideman to living legends McCoy Tyner or Joe Lovano, the result is the same – Cuban-born drummer-composer Francisco Mela transports enthusiast with his passionate, thrilling display of exuberance and vivacity – his live performance is pleasing to both ears and eyes. His “vast, intriguing vocabulary” (City Paper, 8/09) which inherently includes Afro-Cuban tongues (Sàngó), Mela’s unique voice and chops reverberate the influential likes of legends Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, and Thelonious Monk.
Personnel: Francisco Mela (drums), Uri Gurvich (alto sax), Elio Villafranca (piano), Petar Slavov (bass) Mauricio Herrera (percussion), Arturo Stable (percussion)
