SUPER FIDELITY

FRANCISCO MELA

Ancestros (Newvelle Records NV017LP)

Ancestros features Cuban drummer Francisco Mela, with saxophonist/ bass clarinettist, Henry Paz; pianist, Kris Davis, and bassist, Gerald Cannon, all on 180g vinyl. Paz’ bass clarinet provides a moody, mysterious vibe that at times is dark and foreboding, but can turn joyful. Kris Davis is an intuitive pianist, and has a keen sense of reacting to Mela’s shape-shifting. Mela provides all the compositions with the exception of Andrew Hill’s and Paul Motian’s , the latter providing a vehicle for demonstrating Mela’s drum prowess. Paz