Jonathan Pinson’s Boom Clap w/ special guest vocalist Melo Gía

JAZZ@theEDGE! Jonathan Pinson’s Boom Clap ft/ Melo Gía

Jonathan Pinson
Mario Castro
Kyle Miles
Taber Gable
Andrew Rendroe
Melo Gía

Jonathan Pinson began his love affair with the drum set at the age of two when he was surrounded by the music of his mother’s choir. His formal music training began at the age of six with instruction on the piano. Shortly after, Jonathan transitioned to the drum set at the Colburn School of Performing Arts and studied with Billy Higgins from The World Stage. While in high school, Jonathan performed professionally at various jazz clubs around the Los Angeles area. He also enjoyed mentoring young percussion enthusiasts and helped conduct jazz workshops for inner-city youths at local public elementary schools, in high school as well as in college. During his senior year in high school, Jonathan won three major coveted awards, 1st place in the Music Center’s Spotlight Award (2007), Performer of the Year at Alexander Hamilton High School, and the Jimmy Lyon’s Scholarship Award for a full-tuition scholarship at the Berklee College of Music. Additionally, he received the Dolo Coker Scholarship (2009, 2010). After Jonathan received his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Music at the Berklee College of Music, he was one of seven musicians selected for the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at the University of California Los Angeles, which resulted in a Masters of Music. Shortly after being chosen, he was asked to tour with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter’s band, at the age of 23. This experience has identified him as a highly sought-after drummer in the music industry and has allowed him to tour/ record with notable artists such as Kamasi Washington, Seal, Braxton Cook, Moses Sumney, Marquis Hill, and Terrace Martin. Currently, he is actively performing with other artists and teaching throughout New York and the Los Angeles area. Jonathan Pinson plays Istanbul Agop Cymbals and also endorses Canopus Drums, Vic Firth Sticks, and Evans Drumheads.

Melo Gía (Patricia Lewis Román) is a multifaceted visual artist and musician born and raised on the island of Puerto Rico. Melo Gía began her artistic journey playing violin and singing in a children’s choir for the Puerto Rico Music Conservatory for 10 years while also attending Puerto Rico’s beloved visual artist’s alma mater, Central High School of Visual Arts. She becomes an avid painter and sculptor during her teenage years.  Torn between studying visual arts or music, it was then that Berklee College of Music offered Patricia a scholarship she couldn’t refuse. She went on to live out her college years in Boston, obtaining her bachelor’s degree in Music Business.

After attending Berklee “Melo Gía” returned to Puerto Rico and continued her journey as a professional singer. Amongst her collaborations, she traveled the world singing for an international Reggae band and Latin Grammy Award Winners “Cultura Profética” (translated to Prophetic Culture). In 2017 she performed in one of John Travolta’s latest movies “Speed Kills”. She has performed with Latin Grammy Winner Cristian Castro. Opened shows for Grammy Nominated Singer Rivera, and Latin Grammy Winner Singer/songwriter, Pedro Capo.In a historic moment for the Arts In Puerto Rico, she was chosen as the starring role for the first Afro-Caribbean Spanish adaptation of Broadway’s “Once on This Island” with a full Afro-Puerto Rican cast. It was a door opener for many more Black productions in the island’s entertainment industry.

Daughter to Puerto Rican mother and African-American father from Philadelphia, Melo Gía has set off on a journey of putting together a musical style that best describes who she is down to her Latin and African-American Roots.

Her style, “Bohemian Soul”, sung in three languages (Spanish, English, and Portuguese) is a fresh new sound painted on a canvas with all the colors of her Latin and African-American musical influences. A perfect mix of soul, jazz, reggae,  bossa nova, Latin pop, and bohemian ballads. Considering the fact that “Melo Gía” has always been first and foremost a vocalist before she ever became a composer. Her clean, melodic voice, broad vocal register, and ability to translate emotion into song through heartfelt stories, leave no doubt as to why people call her “Melo Gía” (Melody).

She is now in the process of producing her own album set to come out this year.