“Melissa Aldana is one of the most original saxophonists on the planet, regardless of gender,” Brazilian-born trumpeter João Lenhari, also a professor at the University of Montreal, told me in an interview in the fall of 2025.
João hosted Melissa Aldana at our place for a concert with the university’s Big Band, during which she was very generous. I was there to witness it.
The Chilean-born tenor saxophonist has released Filin, an album of exquisitely subtle Cuban ballads. We are lulled by four musicians in an exquisitely gentle atmosphere, imbued with emotion and intelligence. It’s a pure delight in this seemingly endless winter.
Most of the pieces are Cuban standards from the 1940s to the 1960s, a time when Cuba was dominated by the United States. There are also two Brazilian compositions, by the late Hermeto Pascoal and the late Cartola.
Admittedly, this album is less innovative than Melissa Aldana’s previous ones. But, in Filin, the classic ballad is elevated to a sublime level.
Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, known for his soaring solos, is more discreet than usual, but his accompaniments are brilliant. Kush Abadey on drums is all cymbals and brushes, while Peter Washington on bass holds everything together.
And Melissa Aldana? Her tenor saxophone whispers, murmurs, breathes, argues delicately. I would add that, at times, its sound evokes a piece of meat, slowly grilling in its own juices, in an Andean churrasco. It sizzles. This sound is simply fabulous to my ears.
For dessert, we are treated to two songs, performed in Spanish by the flamboyant Franco-Haitian-American Cécile McLorin Salvant. Her voice adds brilliantly to this impeccable ensemble.
Melissa Aldana, who now lives in the United States, once again demonstrates her ability to blend jazz with Latin American influences and flavors. And this will undoubtedly continue.
Enjoy!
