Melissa Aldana

Melissa Aldana (born 3 December 1988) is a Chilean tenor saxophone player, who performs both as a soloist and with her band Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio.

Life and career Early life and training Aldana was born in Santiago, Chile. under the influence and tuition of her father Marcos Aldana, also a professional saxophonist. Reporting her win, The Washington Post described Aldana as representing "a new sense of possibility and direction in jazz". In July 2014, this group released their self-titled debut album on Concord Jazz, the Melissa Aldana Quartet includes Aldana on tenor saxophone, Sam Harris on piano (or Lage Lund on guitar), Pablo Menares on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums.

Personal life Aldana lives in Washington Heights, Manhattan. 2016: DownBeat magazine: "25 for the Future" 2023: Grammy nomination for "Best Improvised Jazz Solo" on "Falling" 2022: DownBeat magazine: Rising Star Artist of the Year Altazor National Arts Award of Chile Martin E. Segal Award, Lincoln Center

Discography As leader Title As Release date Label Free Fall Melissa Aldana 2010 Inner Circle Music Second Cycle Melissa Aldana 2012 Inner Circle Music Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio July 2014 Concord Jazz Back Home Melissa Aldana March 2016 WommusicVisions Melissa Aldana May 2019 Motéma Music12 Stars Melissa Aldana March 2022 Blue NoteEchoes of the Inner Prophet Melissa Aldana 2024 Blue NoteFilin Melissa Aldana 2026 Blue Note

As sideman/member Joshua Redman, Words Fall Short (Blue Note, 2025) – on track 2, "So It Goes" Carlos Henriquez, Dizzy Con Clave (RodBros, 2018)