Melissa Aldana Quartet

A compelling tension underpins Echoes Of The Inner Prophet, Melissa Aldanas 2024 successor to her celebrated Blue Note Records solo debut, 12 Stars from 2022. As the GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist and composer notes, this new record mirrors her personal evolution, adopting a particularly reflective perspective. That inner prophet is my own self, now more mature, possessing the wisdom and instinct and truth about where I should go next. So it is this notion of connecting with that inner prophet, she adds, which uncovers aspects of myself, including those traits I do not like. Simultaneously, this profoundly personal, inquiring work serves as a tribute to collaboration and community. It chronicles the growth of her ensemble Lage Lundguitar and effects by Fabian Almazan; piano and effects by Pablo Menares; bass by Kush Abadey; drums by Kush Abadeycapturing the shared understanding they have developed through extensive touring and travel, and asserting their status among the most penetrating active ensembles in contemporary jazz.