Saxofonist

Saxophonist and composer Melissa Aldana was born in Santiago, Chile and grew up in a musical family. Both her father and grandfather were saxophonists and she took up the instrument at age six under her father Marcos’ tutelage. Aldana began on alto, influenced by artists such as Charlie Parker and Cannonball Adderley, but switched to tenor upon first hearing the music of Sonny Rollins. She performed in Santiago jazz clubs in her early teens and was invited by pianist Danilo Pérez to play at the Panama Jazz Festival in 2005.

Melissa Aldana Quartet

Monterey County Fairgrounds

2026 marks the centennial of iconic saxophonist John Coltrane’s birth. An all-star lineup — saxophonists Joe Lovano and Melissa Aldana; pianist Ndudzo Makhathini, bassist Matthew Garrison, and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts — pays tribute to the jazz giant, whose creativity and spirituality has influenced generations of musicians.

EPSG:4326

Coltrane at 100: Both Directions at Once

Wortham Theater Center

A fascinating paradox defines Echoes Of The Inner Prophet , Melissa Aldana’s 2024 follow-up to her acclaimed Blue Note Records debut as a leader, 2022’s 12 Stars . As the GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist and composer explains, her new album reflects her “personal journey, with an especially introspective point of view. The inner prophet is my own self, now older, who has the knowledge and the intuition and the truth about what my path should be.

Longhorn Jazz Festival

Music Building and Recital Hall

Winner of the 2013 Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition, Melissa Aldana is clearly one of jazz’s leading lights. Her latest Blue Note album, Echoes of the Inner Prophet, is her most audacious statement to date, named for the title track dedicated to the late Wayne Shorter. Aldana’s bold sound and vision have been nurtured by some of jazz’s most perspicacious talent scouts including Danilo Pérez, George Coleman, Joe Lovano, Greg Osby and her father, saxophonist Marcos Aldana, but the young leader has built a career by turning convention on its ear. Named to DownBeat’s “25 For the Future” list in 2016, she has more than lived up to her potential.

Melissa Aldana / Taylor Eigsti

SFJAZZ Center

Manhattan School of Music’s public programs are made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Msm Jazz Orchestra Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Wayne Shorter

Manhattan School of Music

Emerson/Harris Masterclass: Melissa Aldana

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Thanks to her lyrical, elegant, powerful playing and her visionary band leadership, Melissa Aldana has been on an amazing upward trajectory in recent years. The Chilean tenor sax player is a co-founder of the supergroup Artemis and is leading her own trio to new heights of refined playing, assured songwriting, and thoughtful self-expression.

Artists For Humanity EpiCenter

By the time she won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone competition in 2013, Melissa Aldana had already developed a reputation as a masterful player and composer with sure footing in the jazz tradition yet an eye trained on the future of music. Join us for this Jazz at the Logan concert with enthralling Chilean saxophonist Melissa Aldana.

Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts

A collective tribute marking a century since the birth of iconic saxophonist John Coltrane, reflecting his enduring influence across generations, geographies, and musical traditions.

Coltrane 100: Lovano, Aldana, Makhathini, Oh, Watts

Barbican Centre

“The titan among us,” (DownBeat), GRAMMY Award-winning saxophonist Joe Lovano is one of the era’s definitive improvisers and bandleaders and brings a remarkable group of the most accomplished instrumentalists in jazz to SFJAZZ for these two nights.

Saxofonist

Melissa Aldana

Events

Upcoming events

Nov 13, 2026

Coltrane 100: Lovano, Aldana, Makhathini, Oh, Watts · Barbican Centre

22 - 23 Apr, 2027

Joe Lovano: Coltrane 100 · San Francisco Jazz

Past events

Sep 25, 2026

Melissa Aldana Quartet · Monterey Jazz Festival

Apr 10, 2026

Coltrane at 100: Both Directions at Once · Dacamera

About

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