Melissa Aldana
On her first jazz quartet Visions, award-winning saxophonist Melissa Aldana connects her work to the legacy of Latina artists who have come before her, creating a pathway for her own expression. Inspired by the life and works of Frida Kahlo, Aldana creates a parallel between her experiences as a female saxophone player in a male-dominated community, and Kahlo’s experiences as a female visual artist working to assert herself in a landscape dominated by men. On her first jazz quartet recording, Aldana adds a new dimension to her sound, resulting in a transformative movement of expression and self-identity.
Aldana was born in Santiago, Chile. She began playing the saxophone when she was six, under the influence and tuition of her father Marcos Aldana, also a professional saxophonist. Aldana began with alto, influenced by artists such as Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, and Michael Brecker. However, upon first hearing the music of Sonny Rollins, she switched to tenor; the first tenor saxophone she used was a Selmer Mark VI that had belonged to her grandfather.
She started performing in Santiago jazz clubs in her early teens. In 2005, after meeting him while he was on tour in Chile, she was invited by pianist Danilo Pérez to play at the Panama Jazz Festival, as well as a number of auditions at music schools in the USA. As a result of these introductions, she went on to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, where her tutors included Joe Lovano, George Garzone, Frank Tiberi, Greg Osby, Hal Crook, Bill Pierce, and Ralph Peterson
Read moreTags
Album Review
- Future Stride by Mike Jurkovic
- Artemis by Mike Jurkovic
Catching Up With
Album Review
- Balance Point by Kyle Simpler
- Visions by Serena Antinucci
- Visions by Friedrich Kunzmann
- Back Home by Vincenzo Roggero
- Back Home by Mark F. Turner
Catching Up With
Read more articlesDecember 03, 2020
Jazz Musician of the Day: Melissa Aldana
December 03, 2019
Jazz Musician of the Day: Melissa Aldana
December 03, 2018
Jazz Musician of the Day: Melissa Aldana
March 14, 2018
Jazz this week: Melissa Aldana Quartet, Ben Wendel's "The Seasons,"...
April 27, 2016
Jazz this week: Melissa Aldana, Keri Johnsrud, Peter and Will Anderson,...
April 23, 2016
StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Introducing Melissa Aldana
October 15, 2013
AccuJazz Internet Radio Featuring Melissa Aldana, Other Recent Monk...
Photos
Melissa Aldana Concerts
Date | Detail |
---|---|
Mar12Fri | |
Mar13Sat | |
Jun22Tue | |
Jun23Wed |