‘Afro Cuban Percussionist’
Melena, born in Havana Cuba, has mastered the traditional rhythms that have traveled from Africa to Cuba, to the dance floors of America. Her Afro-Cuban sound is a conversation of melodies which she plays with fierce passion. Melena is a multi-talented percussionist who plays Congas, Timbales, Bata Drums, and Shekere. She is an artist who exemplifies the sound of legendary players from the past, to the modern sound of today.
Melena’s formal training began on the drums when she was a teenager. Master percussionist Luis Conte was instrumental in shaping her early development. Rolando Soto, Rumbavana’s Bongocero was an essential mentor for her sound development and Cuban music history. Melena returned to her native country of Havana Cuba several times to study privately with the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional De Cuba, as well as with many gifted percussionists such as Miguel “Anga” Diaz, Yaroldy Abreu, Jose Miguel Melendez, Roberto Vizcaino Guillot, Adel Gonzalez, Cristobal Larrinanga, Mario Jauregui, Regino Jimenez, Daniel Herrera, and Jose “Pepe” Espinosa.
Melena has toured, performed, and recorded with Barry White, Stevie Wonder, Macy Gray, Julio Iglesias, Placido Domingo, Giovanni Hidalgo, Chucho Valdes and Irakere, Mario Ortiz, Jr., Chino Nuñez, Chayanne, Poncho Sanchez, Frankie Morales and Rey De La Paz. Melena has also appeared on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, BET, and was the featured percussionist on HBO’s Loco Slam with Carlos Mencia and The Fernando Hidalgo Show (Miami, Florida).
Melena fronts her own Afro Cuban Latin Jazz Band, as well as a Salsa Band. She has performed in festivals to include Jazz at Drew, African Village Festival, Santa Barbara Caribbean Festival, Brownsville Latin Jazz Festival - Texas (sharing the same stage with Giovanni Hidalgo), Altadena Summer Festival, Manhattan Beach Summer Concert, The Latin Jazz & Salsa Festival - Virginia, Fiestas Patronales – Ft Lauderdale/Miami, and the Bakersfield Jazz Festival.
Melena also conducts Master Percussion Classes nationally and internationally such as Montreal Drum Festival, Puerto Rico Music Conservatory, Percussion Gallery (Ponce,
Puerto Rico), Los Angeles Music Academy, Seattle World Rhythm Festival, Brownsville University, Remo Drum Center, Braille Institute (Los Angeles), Boys and Girls Club
(Los Angeles), and Just Drums Percussion Day – Virginia (with Giovanni Hidalgo and Ray Yslas). She has also conducted a percussion clinic/performance at the Percussion
Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico where she was backed by the island’s top musicians including Eric Figueroa, Musical Director of Batacumbele.
Melena has been featured as a guest musician for several recordings and live DVD/PBS specials for artists such as Sting, John Tesh, Eva Ayllone, Peru Negro, Joel Holmes and Unwrapped Vol. 2 & 3. In addition, she was featured on the television series “Prison Break” playing congas alongside actor Amaury Nolasco, as well as “Beverly Hills 90210”.
Melena has recently written and produced a play based on her journey to reconnect with her family through the culture and music of her native country of Cuba. The play was the first latino production featured for 3 nights on stage at the Sycamore Rouge Theater in Petersburg, Virginia. Melena not only performed and acted in the lead role of this play, it was her first production as Artistic/Musical Director and Choreographer. Dancers from the Latin Ballet of Virginia were also featured as part of the cast and trained with Melena’s artistic vision for the play.
Melena has specialized her studies in the Afro-Cuban tradition and on the Sacred Bata Drums, and she has taught her students the importance of the history and knowledge of Afro-Cuban drumming and the language of the Batas. Melena is someone to be recognized with as one of the most accomplished and proficient female percussionists in an industry dominated by male percussionists!