Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Francisco Mela: Ancestros

Francisco Mela: Ancestros

By Karl Ackermann
November 18, 2018
View read count

One of the many fine musicians coming out of Cuba,

Francisco Mela

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Francisco Mela is an accomplished drummer/percussionist and composer. On Ancestros, his debut on the vinyl-only subscription label Newvelle, he has contributed seven original compositions to a collection that includes covers from

Andrew Hill

piano
1931 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrew Hill and

Paul Motian

drums
1931 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Motian. The album name—and its title track—are appropriated from Mela's prior release Fe (Self-produced, 2016). On two of Mela's previous releases, Melao (Ayva Musica, 2006) and Tree of Life (Half Note, 2011), progressive jazz shares the program with solid Latin influences. That is less the case with Ancestros where Mela takes a broadminded, free-wheeling approach.

Mela arrived in Boston in 2001 to attend Berklee College of Music, where he later taught. He has worked with many notable artists including

Joe Lovano

drums
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Lovano,

John Scofield

guitar
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">John Scofield,

JoAnne Brackeen

piano
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">JoAnne Brackeen,

Kenny Barron

piano
b.1943

" data-original-title="" title="">Kenny Barron,

McCoy Tyner

piano
1938 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">McCoy Tyner and

Lionel Loueke

guitar
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Lionel Loueke. Pianist

Kris Davis

piano
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Kris Davis and reed player

Hery Paz

woodwinds

" data-original-title="" title="">Hery Paz are both part of Mela's working quartet and sextet and they are joined here by bassist

Gerald Cannon

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Gerald Cannon. Pundits have been hoisting Davis' star for half a decade while she has quietly earned respect and admiration among the best of her peers in creative music. Among the those she has worked with are

John Zorn

saxophone, alto
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">John Zorn,

Craig Taborn

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Craig Taborn,

Don Byron

clarinet
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Don Byron,

Tyshawn Sorey

drums
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Tyshawn Sorey,

Michael Formanek

bass, acoustic
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Formanek,

Tony Malaby

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Malaby,

Ingrid Laubrock

saxophone
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Ingrid Laubrock,

Mary Halvorson

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Mary Halvorson and

Tom Rainey

drums
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Tom Rainey. Ancestros is her twentieth recording and follows Octopus (Pyroclastic Records, 2018), her duo outing

Craig Taborn

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Craig Taborn.

Paz, another Cuban ��migr��, now residing in New York, studied saxophone at New England Conservatory. Along with his role in Mela's groups, the multi-instrumentalist has recorded with the Willy Rodriguez Quintet. Cannon, a Wisconsin native, met

Milt Hinton

bass, acoustic
1910 - 2000

" data-original-title="" title="">Milt Hinton while attending the University of Wisconsin. Hinton's impact triggered a life change for the bassist that sent him off to the state's conservatory to study music. The accomplished bassist also studied piano and is a gifted painter as well. Cannon has worked with

Art Blakey

drums
1919 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers,

Dexter Gordon

saxophone, tenor
1923 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Dexter Gordon,

Cedar Walton

piano
1934 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Cedar Walton,

Billy Higgins

drums
1936 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Higgins,

Hamiet Bluiett

saxophone, baritone
1940 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Hamiet Bluiett and many other jazz luminaries.

Ancestros suggests a line of succession, and Mela, by proxy, casts a wide net in exploring musical lineages. To be sure, there are plenty of mystifying constructs such as the title track, "Vino" and "Ornette," the latter of the three featuring Davis and Paz engaged in a complex dialogue, often at fever pitch. Darkness dangles over "Black Movie" and Motian's "Mumbo Jumbo" where Paz's bass clarinet creates an ominous setting; Mela, making the most of his slight, frequently soft, signals. Andrew Hill's "Not So" is one of the more overtly melodic pieces on the album, but it is not without a distinct quirkiness. Side B opens and closes with contrasting versions of Mela's "It's Good to be Free"; the first approaches anarchy as it develops, the second plays out like a haunted lullaby.

Ancestros is steeped in imaginative communications that begin with silhouettes and ultimately take on a distinct form before disintegrating. The playing is highly expressive; extending phrases or collapsing them, without lavish embellishments but often with raw energy. There are stunning performances from Davis and Paz, and Mela is a master of nuance and flexibility, regardless of the style the group is engaged in. Ancestros is the most eclectic Newvelle release to date and one of the most interesting.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Side A: Black Movie; Duende; Vino; Ornette; Side B: It��s Good to be Free; Not So; Mumbo Jumbo; Ancestros; It��s Good to be Free.

Personnel

Francisco Mela

drums

Francisco Mela: drums; Hery Paz: saxophone, bass clarinet; Kris Davis: piano; Gerald Cannon: bass.

Album information

Title: Ancestros | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Newvelle Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Gary Urwin: Inside the Mind of an Ar...
< Previous

The Bitter Suite
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.