Melissa Aldana

About

Chilean tenor saxophone player who is known for her work both as a soloist and as a part of the group Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio. She is known for having performed alongside a wide range of other musicians and artists including Peter Bernstein, Kevin Hays, and Christian McBride. 

Before Fame

She first started playing the saxophone at the age of six. She started playing as an alto before switching to a tenor. She than started performing at jazz clubs throughout Santiago in her early teens. 

Trivia

She was awarded the Altazor National Arts Award of Chile as well as the Lincoln Center's Martin E. Segal Award. 

Family Life

She was born and raised in Santiago, Chile. She was taught the saxophone by her father Marcos Aldana who was also a professional saxophone player. 

Associated With

She was asked to perform alongside pianist Danilo Perez at the Panama Jazz Festival in 2005.