Mela, Francisco And Zoh Amba

Mela, Francisco And Zoh Amba

Causa y Efecto Vol. 2

577 Records

***The New Album by Francisco Mela and Zoh Amba 'Causa y Efecto, Vol. 2' Is A Celebration of Differences and Unity Creativity in general and experimental music in particular can serve as a conduit to the inner soul of its creators, a kind of spiritual path that goes two ways and allows a deeper understanding also of ourselves. It's a light projecting the humanity of the players that simultaneously reflects the creator and the humanity in all of us. The vulnerability of the artists and what they seek through the music are the cause and the opening of that pathway to a deeper understanding is the effect. Francisco Mela’s singing on the traditional song ‘El Cisne Blanco’ could serve as a gateway to the world of avant-garde music. Zoh Amba’s flute is as sweet and comforting as her saxophone playing can be powerful and mind blowing. These are two different artists from completely different backgrounds showing us what unity-in-sound means, proving that creativity can foster peace and understanding.

Mela, Francisco And Zoh Amba

Causa y Efecto Vol. 1

577 Records

***The world is more elusive than simple cause and effect imply, more typically, life circumvents causation in favor of an unknowable correlation. It seems like the more we know, the less we know. On this first volume from ZOH AMBA and FRANCISCO MELA, the duo brings their regional traditions, from Tennessee and Cuba respectively, and musical inclinations to the cause and effect behind their own life stories. Causa y Efecto, Vol. 1 is an ode to the unknown, transporting audiences between the New York studio where it was recorded and the mist-shrouded mountains where each musician grew up. On tracks like “Dos Vidas'' and “Serenata,” Mela builds a textured, percussive foundation that Amba interrupts with breathy tenor saxophone and her distinctive flute. On “Maria,” dedicated to Mela’s mother, simple hand drumming provides a gentle rhythm, overlaid by Amba’s delicate flute and Mela’s full baritone voice, delivered in the unassuming style of the campesino. Causa y Efecto, Vol. 1 is an ode to the countrysides that both musicians came from, decades apart, and the experimental, improvisational pursuit for which they've joined in New York.