Percussionist Mino Cinelu is the son of a French mother and a father from Martinique. He took up the guitar as a child, but after visiting his father's island he turned to drums and percussion. He moved to England, then to America, where, in the early '80s, he began playing with Miles Davis, which led him to an extensive career as a session player for jazz and pop artists. In July 2000, he released his self-titled debut solo album, on which he played most of the instruments, sang, produced, arranged, and wrote the songs. ~ William Ruhlmann