Mel began playing woodwinds as a young Pasadena-area student, continuing through his Air Force service as a young man. Later, as a founding member of TheBigBandExpress, Mel began playing with the band’s El Cajon predecessor in 1973. An avid collector of big band charts, his personal library contains over 3,200 arrangements. A Certified Public Accountant, Mel resides in El Cajon and enjoys performing in several area music ensembles.