Jazz Articles about Melissa Aldana

About Melissa Aldana

Album Review

Joshua Redman: Words Fall Short

Read "Words Fall Short" reviewed by Doug Collette

by Doug Collette
July 6, 2025

After extended tenures on Warner Brothers and Nonesuch Records, saxophonist/composer/bandleader Joshua Redman debuted on the Blue Note jazz label in 2023 with Where We Are. And while its successor, Words Fall Short, is right in line with that record by featuring vocals, it initiates a new phase in the leader's career by showcasing his new quartet in its recorded debut. Formed as prelude to the world tour designed to support the previous effort, pianist Paul Cornish, bassist Philip ...

Radio & Podcasts

NYT Top 10, Part 2

by Patrick Burnette
February 27, 2025

The boys are back to take on four more entries from the New York Times' Best of 2024 list and Mike especially is happy with these selections. “Spiritual Jazz" leaves a imprint on several of this episode's albums and bastard number 2 loves it. Pat meanwhile is relieved that Blue Note's entry is the best yet, in his opinion, by a rising young artist, but he finds one of the other entries just an almighty racket. Playlist Discussion ...

Radio & Podcasts

Melissa Aldana, Dora Morelenbaum, Diana Arias, Gianmarco Ferri & More

by Ludovico Granvassu
May 7, 2024

A playlist built along a Latin American trail that takes us from Chile to Colombia, Brazil and Argentina, with a couple of side trips to France and Italy. Happy listening! Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Melissa Aldana “The Solitary Seeker" Echoes of the Inner Prophet (Blue Note) 0:16 Host talks 6:17 Diana Arias “Desbaratá" Viaje Del Pez (ears&eyes) 7:29 Host talks 12:53 Dora Morelenbaum “Avermelhar" Vento De Beirada ...

Album Review

Melissa Aldana: Echoes Of The Inner Prophet

Read "Echoes Of The Inner Prophet" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic

by Mike Jurkovic
March 28, 2024

Grammy-nominated saxophonist Melissa Aldana was all of maybe 21 going on 22 in 2010 when her Inner Circle Records arrival, Free Fall, caught many a discerning ear with its surprisingly earthy and assured lines and tangents. Her first for Blue Note, 2022's 12 Stars, displayed much the same but with a more resolute, restorative, established tone. As exhibited on such artistic statements as 12 Stars and 2019's Visions (Motema Music), Aldana relishes her sojourns and residencies in the ...

Radio & Podcasts

New Releases Plus Holiday Music, Birthday Shoutouts, Grammy Nominees & More

by Mary Foster Conklin
December 11, 2023

This broadcast begins the holidays with music of the season from John Paul McGee and Hendrik Meurkens new releases from Karen Hammack, The Airmen of Note, Russ Lorenson and Margot Sergent, more nods to Grammy nominees plus birthday shoutouts to Judy Carmichael, Rebecca Coupe Franks, Ethel Ennis, Sylvia Syms, Melissa Aldana, June Christy, Maria Schneider and Tina Turner, among others. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear by seeing them live and online. Purchase their music so ...

Radio & Podcasts

Live from the Village Vanguard

by David Brown
April 11, 2023

I was at the Village Vanguard in NYC on Tuesday to hear Chilean tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana and her captivating quintet. With that experience in mind, tonight's lineup will showcase live recordings from this world-famous venue from Chucho Valdes to John Coltrane to The Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra. Then, works from Arturo and Chico O'Farrill and some new releases from Tim Berne and Ingrid Laubrock. Playlist Kidd Jordan, Hamid Drake, William Parker “Resolution" from Palm of ...

Album Review

NYO Jazz: We're Still Here

Read "We're Still Here" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
October 14, 2022

The “NYO" in NYO Jazz is shorthand for National Youth Orchestra, a marvelous concept that should be cloned and shipped to as many cities, towns and villages as possible. NYO, comprising carefully chosen musicians, ages 16 to 19, from across the U.S.A. is based at Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute in New York City, and We're Still Here marks its first full-length recording. The NYO's artistic director is trumpeter, composer and educator Sean Jones who is featured ...