Francisco Mela & Adam Hertz

AIR's Jeannie Hopper speaks with jazz drummer Francisco Mela and Blue Note International's Adam Hertz. Since first attending the Berklee College of Music in 2000, Mela has fast established himself as one of the most innovative and exciting jazz musicians to emerge in decades. He here discusses his musical background and the impetus for many of the pieces on his first album, Malao, the title of which is the Spanish word for sugar cane syrup--a kind of longing reference to Cuba, where he was born, and his relationship to which informs much of his music. Mela speaks to his earliest exploits as a painter, before he had any musical training or conscience interest in becoming a professional musician, and talks about what has inspired and led him to become the unique musician he now is (59 minutes).

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