Mino Cinelu - NOSPR

Miles Davis, Sting, Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Tracy Chapman, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, Lou Reed, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Vicente Amigo, Dizzy Gillespie, Pat Metheny, Branford Marsalis, Pino Daniele, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Salif Keita – these are just a few of the international jazz, world, and pop stars Mino has worked with since the late 1970s. This reflects Mino's deep connection to a legacy of sound and space that continues to influence his work while keeping him fresh and modern.

Born in Paris to a French mother and a father from Martinique, Mino was largely self-taught, starting with guitar and bass, then moving on to drums and percussion. His professional music career began at the age of 15. By the time he was 24, Cinélu had been living in New York City for two years, performing with the city’s top jazz, funk, and gospel musicians, when he was approached by someone who would become a key figure in his life and career: Miles Davis. Starting with the concerts that led to the critically acclaimed We Want Miles (1982) album, Cinélu joined Davis' band. In the years that followed, Mino released albums under his own name, appeared on countless recordings as a composer, co-leader, guest, or sideman, and composed music for films, documentaries, and commercials. For his score for the film La Californie, Mino was nominated as one of the top 10 film composers at the Cannes Film Festival.

Whether playing percussion, drums, guitar, keyboards, or singing, Mino brings his infectious personality full of warmth and joy of life, combined with decades of intense study of a wide range of international styles – from the streets of Paris to Dakar, from the Mississippi Delta to Japan, and from the Caribbean to the Middle East. He is equally comfortable as an excellent accompanist or as the center of attention, able to lead an extensive ensemble or perform a breathtaking solo show. Mino is also the recipient of the prestigious title of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in France.