Mike Melito

Drummer Mike Melito is one of the most sought after drummers in upstate NY. He played his first professional gig at age 16 with Vibraphonist Joe Locke. The late great saxophonist Joe Romano was in the house that night and hired Mike for a series of gigs he had around town. From there Mike started getting a lot of calls for gigs in upstate NY. He would travel to Syracuse/Utica area to work with saxophonist JR Monterose, trumpeters Sal Amico and Joe Magnarelli. Mike soon started leading his own groups and continued freelancing as well. In 1997 he recorded his first of four critically acclaimed CDs MY CONCEPTION. Downbeat jazz writer Chris Hovan said in a review of MY CONCEPTION, "Melito is a talent deseving of wider recognition. As far as interpreting the mainstream he does it as good as anyone else out there." He went on to record BOUT TIME IN 2000, THE NEXT STEP IN 2004 and his latest CD IN THE TRADITION IN 2008. Mike has played and recorded with such names as James Moody, Benny Golson, Barry Harris, Eric Alexander, Grant Stewart, John Swana, Vincent Herring, Harry Allen, Ken Peplowski, Danilo Perez, Chris Potter and many more. Mike is the drummer in the Bob Sneider Trio that make up the house band for the Rochester International Jazz Festival. He appears on over 20 CDs as a sideman as well.