Known for his big sound and soulful playing Mel has been playing tenor sax since the age of 10. His early musical influences were King Curtis, Junior Walker, and John Coltrane. During his grammar and high school years he  played in clubs and hotels in the Jersey shore. Some of the bands were the Velveliers, Clique, Soul Five, and the Rhythm and Blues a band he made his first recording with. Upon graduating from high school he was accepted to Berklee School of Music with a scholarship. While at Berklee he was approached to go on the road with Harvey Scales and the Seven Sounds from Milwaukee to promote there Billboard hit Get Down.

He wound up touring, writing, and recording, many records on the Magic Touch, Chess, Atco,

Stax, and Mercury labels. Harvey and the Seven Sounds also wrote the first song ever to be certified platinum, the song was Disco Lady for Johnny Taylor. The band toured with the Stax review of Wilson Piickett, Staple Singers,Carla and Rufus Thomas and many others. When not on tour

 they also backed up Etta James, Lowell Fulsom, Erma Franlklin and others.

   After returning from the Midwest he returned  to the Jersey shore and help form a new band called the Shots with former members of the Asbury Jukes, and Gary Us Bonds.

   An unfortunate accident caused the Shots to disband, but along with several members from the that band, bands Inorbit and Back to Earth were formed.

   Currently performing with the Niche formely the CNR Band, Total Entertainment, and Sultans of Swing