Melissa Aldana Quartet at KTB 2026

Chilean tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana brings her acclaimed quartet to Heidelberg for KTB 2026. A winner of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, Aldana is known for her lyrical, technically assured playing and deep engagement with the jazz tradition. Her quartet—featuring Sam Harris on piano, Pablo Menares on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums—delivers a cohesive, dynamic sound that balances original compositions with inventive interpretations.

Attendees can expect an evening of sophisticated, emotionally resonant jazz from an artist who has performed at major venues like the Blue Note Jazz Club and festivals including Umbria Jazz and the Copenhagen Jazz Festival. Aldana's work has earned Grammy nominations and praise from outlets like The Washington Post, which hailed her as representing "a new sense of possibility and direction in jazz."