Francisco Mela will join the Twin Cities Jazz Festival as their first artistic director. In this new position, Mela will focus on increasing the quality and number of jazz artists that the festival brings to the Twin Cities.
“We’re so fortunate to have an artist of Francisco’s talent and vision heading our efforts to bring the very best jazz to the Twin Cities,” said Steve Heckler, executive director of the Twin Cities Jazz Festival.
Mela has been a part of a variety of jazz ensembles, and he has released four albums as leader. The position of artistic director is one Mela should fit into comfortably. Previously, he was the artistic director for the Festival JAZZVU in Zalapa, Velacruz, Mexico. Also, he is currently the artistic director for the Jazz Festival at Tom Jazz Club in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The festival is coming up on its 17th year in 2015. The free public festival held around Mears Park in St. Paul will be June 25-27. The 2015 festival is one of the largest civic events in the Midwest and is expected to be attended by more than 30,000 people.
