Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Melissa Aldana's nuanced and superbly executed 2022 album 12 Stars feels like a new beginning for the tenor saxophonist. Though not her first album, 12 Stars is the Chilean-born improviser's debut for the storied Blue Note label. The 2013 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition winner, Aldana has spent much of the last five years earning accolades, including picking up her first Grammy nomination for her 2019 album Visions. Named after the 12 stars pictured on the crown of the tarot card figure The Empress, 12 Stars builds upon that success, showcasing Aldana's growing maturity as both a soloist and bandleader. Helping Aldana achieve this balance is Norwegian guitarist Lage Lund, who produced the album and collaborated with her on the songs and arrangements. Joining them is pianist Sullivan Fortner (who has distinguished himself as a member of vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant's Grammy-winning albums), drummer Kush Abadey, and longtime Aldana bandmate bassist Pablo Menares. Aldana and Lund are a magical team, often playing melodies in tandem. On the opening "Falling," Lund bathes Aldana in sparkling, otherworldly drones, her warm shooting-star sax refracting off the hull of his alien spaceship guitar. More evocative feelings arise throughout 12 Stars, as on "Emilia," in which Aldana dreams of her future daughter against Fortner's warm Rhodes keyboard bed. Equally hypnotic is "The Bluest Eye," a rippling, modal-sounding piece inspired by the Toni Morrison novel. There's a warm, cocoon-like quality to Aldana's compositions as she envelops herself and her audience in shimmering tonal cascades. She's also mutable, with a tone that's water pure one minute before rising to a high-pitched squelch the next, à la Wayne Shorter, as on the dreamy, tango-inflected "Intuition." Even on the vibrantly propulsive "Los Ojos de Chile," an anthem inspired by the 2019 political turmoil and protests in Chile, Aldana plays with an easy warmth that belies just how athletic and harmonically adept her improvisational skills are. With 12 Stars, Aldana puts all of her colorful sonic and emotional textures on display.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $10.83/month
JAMES FARBER, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Stoller, StudioPersonnel, Recording Second Engineer - Lage Lund, Producer, Guitar, Sound Effects, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Sullivan Fortner, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Kush Abadey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Pablo Menares, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Melissa Aldana, Producer, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Ian Sefchick, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Tomchin, Producer, Associate Producer - Steven Sacco, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Henry McCall, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc.
JAMES FARBER, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Stoller, StudioPersonnel, Recording Second Engineer - Lage Lund, Producer, Guitar, Sound Effects, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Sullivan Fortner, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Kush Abadey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Pablo Menares, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Melissa Aldana, Producer, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Ian Sefchick, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Tomchin, Producer, Associate Producer - Steven Sacco, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Henry McCall, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc.
JAMES FARBER, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Stoller, StudioPersonnel, Recording Second Engineer - Lage Lund, Producer, Guitar, Sound Effects, AssociatedPerformer - Sullivan Fortner, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Kush Abadey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Pablo Menares, Bass, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Melissa Aldana, Producer, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Ian Sefchick, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Tomchin, Producer, Associate Producer - Steven Sacco, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Henry McCall, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Don Was, Producer, Executive Producer - JAMES FARBER, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Stoller, StudioPersonnel, Recording Second Engineer - Lage Lund, Producer, Guitar, Sound Effects, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Sullivan Fortner, Rhodes , AssociatedPerformer - Kush Abadey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Pablo Menares, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Melissa Aldana, Producer, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Ian Sefchick, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Tomchin, Producer, Associate Producer - Steven Sacco, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Henry McCall, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Indigo Lund, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc.
JAMES FARBER, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Stoller, StudioPersonnel, Recording Second Engineer - Lage Lund, Producer, Guitar, Sound Effects, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Sullivan Fortner, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Kush Abadey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Pablo Menares, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Melissa Aldana, Producer, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Ian Sefchick, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Tomchin, Producer, Associate Producer - Steven Sacco, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Henry McCall, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc.
JAMES FARBER, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Stoller, StudioPersonnel, Recording Second Engineer - Lage Lund, Producer, Guitar, Sound Effects, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Sullivan Fortner, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Kush Abadey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Pablo Menares, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Melissa Aldana, Producer, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Ian Sefchick, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Tomchin, Producer, Associate Producer - Steven Sacco, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Henry McCall, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc.
JAMES FARBER, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Stoller, StudioPersonnel, Recording Second Engineer - Lage Lund, Producer, Arranger, Guitar, Sound Effects, Work Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Sullivan Fortner, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Kush Abadey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Pablo Menares, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Melissa Aldana, Producer, Arranger, Tenor Saxophone, Work Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Ian Sefchick, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Tomchin, Producer, Associate Producer - Steven Sacco, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Henry McCall, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc.
JAMES FARBER, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wilder, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Stoller, StudioPersonnel, Recording Second Engineer - Lage Lund, Producer, Guitar, Sound Effects, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Sullivan Fortner, Rhodes , AssociatedPerformer - Kush Abadey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Pablo Menares, Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Melissa Aldana, Producer, Tenor Saxophone, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Ian Sefchick, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Tomchin, Producer, Associate Producer - Steven Sacco, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Henry McCall, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
Melissa Aldana's nuanced and superbly executed 2022 album 12 Stars feels like a new beginning for the tenor saxophonist. Though not her first album, 12 Stars is the Chilean-born improviser's debut for the storied Blue Note label. The 2013 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition winner, Aldana has spent much of the last five years earning accolades, including picking up her first Grammy nomination for her 2019 album Visions. Named after the 12 stars pictured on the crown of the tarot card figure The Empress, 12 Stars builds upon that success, showcasing Aldana's growing maturity as both a soloist and bandleader. Helping Aldana achieve this balance is Norwegian guitarist Lage Lund, who produced the album and collaborated with her on the songs and arrangements. Joining them is pianist Sullivan Fortner (who has distinguished himself as a member of vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant's Grammy-winning albums), drummer Kush Abadey, and longtime Aldana bandmate bassist Pablo Menares. Aldana and Lund are a magical team, often playing melodies in tandem. On the opening "Falling," Lund bathes Aldana in sparkling, otherworldly drones, her warm shooting-star sax refracting off the hull of his alien spaceship guitar. More evocative feelings arise throughout 12 Stars, as on "Emilia," in which Aldana dreams of her future daughter against Fortner's warm Rhodes keyboard bed. Equally hypnotic is "The Bluest Eye," a rippling, modal-sounding piece inspired by the Toni Morrison novel. There's a warm, cocoon-like quality to Aldana's compositions as she envelops herself and her audience in shimmering tonal cascades. She's also mutable, with a tone that's water pure one minute before rising to a high-pitched squelch the next, à la Wayne Shorter, as on the dreamy, tango-inflected "Intuition." Even on the vibrantly propulsive "Los Ojos de Chile," an anthem inspired by the 2019 political turmoil and protests in Chile, Aldana plays with an easy warmth that belies just how athletic and harmonically adept her improvisational skills are. With 12 Stars, Aldana puts all of her colorful sonic and emotional textures on display.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 8 track(s)
- Total length: 00:44:56
- Main artists: Melissa Aldana
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Blue Note Records
- Genre: Jazz
© 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.