by MICHAEL TUTINO | Sep 26, 2023 | Front Page, News
A sense of discovery, exhilaration, and depth are not qualities often induced by recent jazz recordings that showcase some of the once innovative, now commonplace styles from the mid-to-late twentieth century.There is no shortage of less-than-stellar releases that...
by MICHAEL TUTINO | Aug 10, 2023 | Front Page, News
There aren’t any jazz-rock fusion or hip-hop-jazz mash-ups on an album by drummer Mike Melito. He is a jazz purist. So it’s not surprising that his eighth album, aptly named “To Swing Is The Thing,” is composed of jazz classics and less familiar tunes worthy of...
by MICHAEL TUTINO | Jun 26, 2023 | Front Page, News
Hosted by Drum Factory Direct chief creative officer Mike Dawson, Drum Candy is the definitive podcast for gear-obsessed drummers with an insatiable hunger for non-stop shop talk. Each episode will include product demos and interviews with the world’s top...
by MICHAEL TUTINO | May 25, 2023 | News
Drummer Mike Melito admires the relaxed brand of swing and bluesy compositions that typify hard bop, so much so that he believes today’s artists omit a crucial rhythmic element that distinguishes this music, apart from the challenging harmony and technique. ‘The main...
by MICHAEL TUTINO | May 25, 2023 | News
After Anker, it was one more block north to the Harro East Ballroom to see tenor master and composer of many jazz standards, Benny Golson. We arrived just as the first set was ending with a rousing non-Golson standard,“Take The A Train.” When Golson and his...
by MICHAEL TUTINO | May 25, 2023 | News, Uncategorized
Mike Melito’s influences sing from his snare drum and ride cymbal throughout his debut as a leader, THE NEXT STEP. There is an amusing anecdote recounted in the liner notes. It goes something like this: A drummer arrives at a session and asks Rudy Van Gelder if...