Melissa Aldana

Melissa Aldana is an adept jazz tenor saxophonist known for her fluid harmonic lines and strong sense of the acoustic post-bop tradition. Discovered by pianist Danilo Pérez while still a teenager, Aldana debuted with Free Fall in 2010. She gained wider acclaim after winning the 2013 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition. Busy as a leader and sideman, she has recorded with Terri Lyne Carrington and Cécile McLorin Salvant, and issued her own albums including 2014's Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio and 2016's Back Home. Aldana earned Grammy nominations for both 2019's Visions and 2022's 12 Stars, the latter of which was also her Blue Note debut. She drew upon her passion for the work of Wayne Shorter on 2024's Echoes of the Inner Prophet, while 2026's Filin found her exploring Cuban ballad traditions.