Melena, born in Havana Cuba, has mastered the traditional rhythms that have traveled from Africa, to Cuba, to the dance floors of America. Her Aro-Cuban sound is a conversation of melodies which she plays with fierce passion. Melena is a multi-talented percussionist who plays congas, timbales, bata drums and shekere. She is an artist who exemplifies the sound of legendary players from the past to the modern sounds of today. Melena studied privately with the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba as well as with the many gifted percussionists on the island such as: Miguel “Anga”Diaz, Yaroldy Abreu, Roberto Vizcaino Guillot, Cristobal Larrinanga, Mario Jauregui, Lazaro Ros, Regino Jimenez and Daniel Herrera. Melena has toured, performed, and recorded with legendary artists such as; Barry White, Stevie Wonder, Julio Iglesias, Chayanne, Macy Gray, Chaka Khanh, Carl Anderson, Will Calhoun, Giovanni Hidalgo, Chucho Valdes & Irakere, Francisco Aguabella, Lazaro Galarraga, Bennie Maupin, Ray De La Paz, Chino Nunez, Peru Negro, Eva Ayllone, Poncho Sanchez, Oscar Hernandez (Musical Director of Spanish Harlem Orchestra) and Cuba’s national treasure Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Pineiro. Melena performs world -wide as an independent artist and also fronts her own Afro Cuban Jazz and Salsa band. Festivals she has performed at include: Bakersfield Jazz Festival, Jazz at Drew, Santa Barbara Caribbean Festival, Fiesta Patronales, Richmond Latin Jazz & Salsa Festival, Brownsville Salsa Festival, Altadena Summer Concert, Manhattan Beach Summer Concert, LACMA, and more. Melena conducts clinics and Master Percussion Classes nationally and internationally such as: Montreal Drum Festival, Puerto Rico Music Conservatory, Los Angeles Music Academy, Seattle World Rhythm Festival, Brownsville University, USC, UCLA, Cal Arts, Remo Drum Center, Braille Institute (Los Angeles) and Just Drums Percussion Day (Virginia with master percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo. She also conducted a percussion clinic & performance at the Percussion Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico where she was backed by the island’s top musicians to include Eric Figueroa, piano and Musical Director of Batacumbele. This year 2016, she was invited to San Juan, Puerto Rico as a special guest for “Las Tres Potencias de la Salsa – Puerto Rico, Cuba and Colombia”, being backed by one of Puerto Rico’s premiere artist Jerry Medina and his band. Also this year 2016, Melena returned to her native homeland Cuba having been invited as a special guest for the Septeto Nacional de Igancio Pineiro celebrating their 90 Year Anniversary soon to be released album. The song, "La Timbera Mayor" was written for Melena, which features her on Congas making history to be the first female instrumentalist to ever record and perform with the Septeto Nacional de Ignaico Pineiro since their founding in 1927. She is presently producing her first album with Cuba's top producer and composer grammy award winning Joaquin Betancourt. This is her first released single, "Son de La Naturaleza." Melena's mom wrote this song for Melena's first trip home to Cuba as an adult, since leaving as a child. Musicians on this track are: Lead Vocals: Carlos Calunga (vocalist for the new Buena Vista Social Club) Background Vocals: Yuleydis “Yula” Sosa (Vocalist for the all female group Canela de Cuba) Trumpet: Julito Padron Piano – Jorge Luis Lagarza Bajo – Roberto Vazquez Timbales – Eduardo Ramos Hernandez Melena is someone to be recognized as one of the most accomplished female percussionists in the Latin Music Industry