Melissa Aldana and pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba bring the essence of the Latin American repertoire to El Tiny. Their set features selections from Filin, a collaborative album of Cuban ballads recorded between the 1940s and 1960s, originally celebrated for their lyrical content and now presented through refined instrumental interpretations.
Aldana was raised in Chile, immersed in jazz by her father and grandfather, both musicians. On tenor saxophone, she delivers a dramatic, lyrical performance with a resonant tone. Rubalcaba, hailing from Havana, brings a masterful sense of space and time, having performed alongside many renowned artists in Cuba and the United States. His contribution adds depth and authority rooted in a lifelong jazz career. Together, they reflect the passionate spirit that drives Latin American and Caribbean music.
SET LIST
- “Dime Si Eres Tú”
- “Imágenes”
- “Little Church”
- “Unconscious Whispers”
MUSICIANS
- Melissa Aldana: tenor sax
- Gonzalo Rubalcaba: piano
- Pablo Menares: bass
- Kush Abadey: drums
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Felix Contreras
- Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
- Audio Engineer/Mix: Neil Tevault
- Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
- Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Mitra I. Arthur, Michael Zamora
- Audio Engineer: Tiffany Vera Castro
- Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
- Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
- Tiny Desk Team: Josh Newell, Maia Stern, Kara Frame
- Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
- Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
- Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
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