"Francisco Jose Mela is a Cuban drummer and percussionist who has performed with a wide array of prominent international Latin and jazz artists including Kenny Barron, Gary Bartz, JoAnne Brackeen, Jane Bunnett, Regina Carter, Anat Cohen, Paquito D'Rivera, George Garzone, Larry Grenadier, Stefon Harris, Lionel Loueke, Joe Lovano, Jason Moran, John Patitucci, John Scofield, Esperanza Spalding, Mark Turner, McCoy Tyner, Chucho Valdés, Kenny Werner, and many others.

Born in Bayamo, Cuba, Francisco Mela studied at the Music School of Arts El Yarey as a teenager before furthering his studies at the National School of Arts for Teachers, el CENCEA. He taught at Rafael's Cabrera Conservatory of Music and played with some of the country's top Latin jazz musicians, as well as leading his group, MelaSon Latin Jazz Band, that toured throughout Mexico. In 2000, he moved to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music and was invited to join the percussion faculty. He became the house drummer at the Wally's Café. It was here where he developed the concept for what would later be his own group.

In 2005, Mela joined the quartet of saxophonist Joe Lovano. Of particular note was the group's 2008 album on Blue Note entitled Folk Art.Later that year, Mela was approached by McCoy Tyner to join his trio.

Mela was named the Twin Cities Jazz Festival's first artistic director in 2014, Before appointment, he served as artistic director for the Xalapa Jazz Festival in Veracruz, Mexico (2010-2013).

In late 2016, Mela was part of an inaugural ensemble that joined Afro-Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés and saxophonist Joe Lovano for an international tour throughout Europe and North America. He also leads his own group, The Crash Trio."

"NYC-based musician, Jonathan Reisin is, a saxophonist, composer, and improviser born in Israel dedicated to creating original music. Reisin is known for his international collaborations in the avant-garde and free improv jazz scene featuring musicians such as Francisco Mela, Kris Davis, Anat Fort, Val Jeanty, Juan Pablo Carletti, Shinya Lin, and many more, with appearances at Vermont Jazz Festival, Yearot Menache Festival (ISR), Gangneung International Art Festival (South Korea) and venues around NYC, Boston, and Israel.

Growing up in a small town in Israel, Jonathan Reisin started his musical journey at the age of 6, learning to play the violin, a gift he got from his grandfather. Music was ingrained in his family's soul, and his grandparents frequently took him to the captivating performances of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, igniting a deep fascination for the world of sounds within him. After 10 years of studying classical music as a violin player, Reisin asked in his high school if he wants to start playing the saxophone in order to join the funk band, and that's how he started to play the saxophone. During that period of time in his life, as he delved into the world of saxophone exploration, his connection with music deepened, igniting a profound passion for Jazz and improvisation. Two years after he started learning to play the saxophone, Reisin was already playing in big jazz festivals in France and South Korea, and recorded an album with New Orleans artists - Jason Marsalis and Kari Lee in a special band he was part of named Batterista.

In 2017, Reisin was accepted to the prestigious musical program of the Rimon School of Music: "The Jazz Institute" led by Ronen Shmueli. During those years he got the opportunity to study with top Israeli musicians such as Yoni Rechter, Mordy Ferber, Avishai Cohen, and more. He also got to perform with two of his teachers: Ronen Shmueli and Mordy Ferber at the "Yearot Menashe Festival". After two years of studying in the Institute and deepening his musical knowledge, Reisin auditioned and received a high scholarship for Berklee College of Music and started his undergraduate studies there, in 2019.

The years at Berklee College of Music had a magnificent impact and influence on Reisin. Studying with top world artists such as George Garzone, Kris Davis, Tony Malaby, Francisco Mela, Linda May Oh, and Terri Lyne Carrington helped him explore other musical directions and concepts which enriched his unique artistic voice. During these years Reisin released two projects: "Solo Session," five improvised pieces for tenor saxophone, and "Scopes," a collaboration with pianist Shinya Lin, consisting of original and improvised pieces.

In April 2022, Reisin released his debut album, "Option B," on the esteemed Habitable Records. The album held a special dedication to his late grandfather, who passed away on the day of the recording session. Collaborating with pianist Moshe Elmakias and drummers Brian Richburg Jr and Nitzan Birnbaum, Reisin poured his heart and soul into the music, resulting in a profoundly moving and artistically rich album. The release garnered widespread acclaim, with critics and fans alike praising its emotional depth, captivating melodies, and exceptional performances."