New York’s WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM and NPR Music proudly present year three of The Checkout: Live at Berklee, a series that brings New-York based Berklee alumni back to where they first flourished as a musician. The series starts off with a bang with 24-year-old Melissa Aldana on Wednesday, October 9th. Aldana just won the 2013 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, which makes her the first female instrumentalist to tae the first prize in the event’s history since 1987! The critically acclaimed musician performs on tenor sax with Pablo Menares on bass, and Francisco Mela on drums.
A former recipient of Berklee’s Presidential Scholarship, Aldana studied with Joe Lovano, George Garzone, Frank Tiberi, Greg Osby, and Hal Crook. She learned a lot from private master classes under legendary bop saxophonist George Coleman, who continues to guide her progress and helps her improve her musicality.
After graduating from Berklee in 2009, Aldana moved to Manhattan, where she performs at the city’s best clubs such as Blue Note, Iridium, Lincoln Center, Smalls, and Jazz Gallery, sharing the stage with contemporary jazz greats like Benny Golson, Greg Osby, George Garzone, Francisco Mela, and Antonio Sanchez. In addition to performing around New York, Aldana released two albums on Inner Circle label: Free Fall (2010) and Second Cycle (2012).
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Check out Melissa Aldana and Crash Trio at Cafe 939 on Wednesday, October 9th at 8pm. Grab your tickets for $10 or $5 with a college ID.
