KMT 1/#36  (6259) Muaki  /  © 2019 ~ "Melle Mel" ~ ORIGINAL FLAVOR® ~ Design Studio / Art Gallery

“Melle Mel's” Jazz-inspired Art and other popular themes of Commissioned Artwork or signed prints are in various personal Art Collections throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and several countries in Europe and Africa. Once while painting in the window of the store front, he was approached by a Concert Promoter. This promoter and Band members commissioned him and presented his Artwork as a 1988 Birthday gift to Jazz Legend, Miles Davis. During this literal 'once-in-a-lifetime' meeting, Mel took this opportunity to discuss with Mr. Davis that he was a young novice Jazz fan, but also what he had been slowing developing with his Artwork in conjunction with Live Jazz and Miles' own recorded music. During this discussion Mr. Davis impressed upon Mel how he though his work was unique, also that he too had recently begun to dabble in spontaneous Art sketches and made painting of his own which help put him at peace, which further inspired his own Musical creative energy flow in composing and arranging musical works for himself and his Band members. 'Miles' said how much he liked the originality of Mel's idea and the potentially of this new innovative 'Jazz-Art-Fusion' endeavor Mel had begun. 'Miles' advised and encouraged Mel to strive forward to continue to further develop his new innovative Artistic idea into a more genuine level of a new Art form. Thereby, “Melle Mel” became the originator of a progressively innovative Original Art creation style genre he dubbed, “LaJazArt"™ (Live - Audience - Jazz - Art). Which is an Original Artwork-in-Progress, being rhythmically created spontaneously from an unconceived start on a blank canvas, simultaneously live on stage in sync with and brought forth in essence from the emotional vibes experienced & expressed from interaction with the performance of a Jam Session or live Jazz Concert. This eventually led to “Melle Mel" creating “LaJazArt™ live on stage with such great International Jazz Headliners as Ms. Mercedes Ellington (Grand-daughter of the late Jazz Legend 'Duke' Ellington) “Symphony & Swing”-Music & Dance Troupe, The World Famous -Count Basie Orchestra and the Top-10 National Jazz Recording Artist & Saxophonist: “The Saxtress” Pamela Williams (Heads Up Productions/Red Ink/Shanachie Record Labels). Including all the finest Top Local Jazz Bands, Vocalists & Musicians at Salvi's/JazzFlight-106.3 FM-WCKX Bi-Monthly Live Radio Broadcasts, Jazz-&-Eggs, etc. with Gene Walker's Generations Band, Hank Marr, Jim Rupp, Jim Maneri, Bobby Floyd Trio, Mary McClendon, Jeanette Williams, Earl Love, Jimmi Hammonds, Tommy Moore, Pharez Whitted (Motown-MoJazz Label), Jazz Patrol, and by Special Request with 30-East Jazz Band @Omega Psi Phi Fraternity,Inc.-4th-District Founders' Banquet, Moxie -featuring Mary Daniels, Urban Jazz Coalition (Currently #11 on the Smooth-Jazz Chart), The Governor -featuring Dolly, Vicki, Candi & Darcell, Ken Weaver Trio & Nex Level @Delta Sigma Theta's -Annual Jazz-Fusion, Michael T. Branner Conceptet @Sigma Gamma Rho's -Annual Evening of the Arts Auction and King Arts Complex~Annual Heritage Concert Series @Mayme Moore Park, etc. Most recently LaJazArt @New Harvest Cafe/Urban Art Center for a National Touring Sickle-Cell Research fundraisers with world-renowned “Miracles of Profound Improvisational Sound Sensations": multi-instrumental Percussionist Kahil El’ Zabar & Saxman David Murry. El’Zabar revered globally as a cultural visionary & innovative music conceptualist, recorded more than 60 acclaimed projects having worked with such luminaries as Dizzy Gillespie, Pharoah Sanders, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Cannonball Adderley, Archie Shepp, Roy Ayers, Paul Simon, Nona Hendryx and Neneh Cherry. David Murray -Tenor Saxophonist/Bass Clarinetist and founding member of the World Saxophone Quartet, is one of the most recorded musicians in the history of Jazz, with well over 200 celebrated projects, having worked with greats like Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Jerry Garcia, Max Roach, Poet Amiri Baraka and Singer Macy Gray, currently working with Spoken Word/Poet Saul Williams as part of his Infinity Quartet. With numerous awards over his vast career garnering a Grammy Award for the Best Jazz Instrumental Group Performance, for his Tribute to John Coltrane. Currently "Melle Mel" is debuting his new "Live Audience AfroBeat Art" painting live on the concert stage with the AfroBeat performance show of 2019 Grammy Award Nominee & International Sensation: Seun Kuti & Egypt 80! The son of Afro Beat Legendary Pioneer & Worldwide Icon Fela Kuti. ~Seun Kuti takes his late father's band Egypt 80 along as he carries a torch of infectious grooves & political songwriting, as they currently tour: New York, DC, Atlanta, Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago & California. Thus, Melle Mel's Live Art helps in bringing both Art Lovers & Live Music admiring audiences together for worthy fundraising causes, as they see, hear, mingle, feel and simultaneously share the experience of these spontaneous improvisational “Works-in-Progress” being created and Artistically expressed Live.
"LaJaArt" = ("Live - Audience - Jazz - Art")

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Ω Melle Mel

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Ω Louis Jefferson

 

LaJa #56

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LaJa #57

Melle, Kahill E'Zabar, Lou, Ara & David Murray