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CD Excerpts:
1. El Morro
2. Amazona Prelude
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Bio:
Real to a variant componential history,
Francisco Mora Catlett has merged Cuban rhythm, Techno funk,
Mexican surrealism, African mysticism, and the
Avant-garde to formulate what is uniquely a "New Voice
in Jazz".
Mora Catlett comes from a tradition of
masterful musicianship. Born in D.C. and reared in
D.F., he began his technical training at UNAM's School
of Music, while at the same time exercising work as a
recording artist for Capital Records in Mexico. His
musical education was further formulated by such
greats as Alan Dawson of the Berkley School of Music,
who helped to lay down classical Jazz technique, and
Babatunde Olatunji, who helped to surface an inherit
African awareness.
There on, Mora Catlett embarked on a journey through
space, time, and sound with master Sun Ra and the Arkestra.
He disembarked from the ship of Ra's avant-garde voyage
to found his own Pa'Lante Productions, rooted in
Detroit and devoted to the spread of what Mora Catlett
has made the thematic base of his career: "African
Presence in the music of the Americas".
His first release, "MORA", a result of polished
interactive work with artists such as Marcus Belgrave
and Kenny Cox, marked the breaking of ground
for future creations. This musical phoenix next
received a National Endowment for the Arts grant to
study with sound firebird, Max Roach. He appeared on
two Blue Moon CDs with Roach's M'Boom, "To the Max",
and "Live at S.O.B.'s New York".
Here after, he served as a visiting Associate
Professor to Michigan State University while
maintaining rigorous research efforts in Cuba, where
work would be done with such necessary components as
Afro Cuba de Matanzas.
Mora Catlett's previously invested endeavors in the
Detroit community would now be returned in the form of
the city's all original gift of Techno.
In collaboration with electro-wiz
Carl Craig on single
Jazz Mix "Bug in the Bassbin", the innovative genre
Jazz Electronica emerged and later resulted with the
Innerzone Orchestra's full-length debut "Programmed".
Mora Catlett's departure to Detroit's music scene was
the creation of Outerzone Band, coming full force
featured on "A Sun Ra Dedication: The Myth Lives On"
on Kindred Spirits Recordings.
Also inclusive in his 'must hears' is "World Trade
Music", an elegant mixture of a unique experience with
the presence of Africa in the Americas.
Now based in New York City, Francisco Mora Catlett
leads and works on groundbreaking projects that are
being taken to the world music scenario.
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