Mezcla

seen live

Funky.... Ebullient.... Hot! The New York Times Direct from Cuba, Mezcla's music is a genuine celebration of the culture and musical roots of the Pearl of the Antilles. A ray of Havana sunshine that inspired Carlos Santana to call them “the cleanest, freshest water I have ever tasted! Under the direction of Pablo Menendez, Mezcla has been a part of the sound-track of the Cuban music scene for the past twenty-five years. A jazz ensemble fusing Afro-Cuban rhythms with yoruba, salsa and rock, Their latest CD, “I'll See You in C-U-B-A,” (ZOHO), was nominated for the Best of Latin Jazz Awards 2010 as were several of the group's soloists, and their CD Akimba!, was nominated for a Grammy in 2003. A multi-generational ensemble, Mezcla brings together several veteran masters with some the best of young jazz players on the scene today. The all star septet includes conga master and Afro Cuban babalao priest Octavio Rodriguez, and trumpeter Mayquel Gonzalez (Irakere, JoJazz award recipient) as well as guitarist and band leader, Pablo Menendez. Pablo Menendez is not your average everyday Afro-Caribbean or Latin jazz musician. His vision of this music stretches back to traditional jazz and show tunes and up to electric urban blues, modern post-bop, Cuban or Puerto Rican music, and contemporary neo-bop spawned in the 1970s. As a guitarist he is strong individually in these varied styles or disciplines, but as a bandleader he stretches out even further, taking his Mezcla ensemble ...