SHORT VERSION
A widely experienced saxophonist and flautist, Brian Molley released his quartet’s first album, Clock, in 2013 and was immediately noted as ‘One to Watch’ by Jazzwise. With a saxophone style that can both reflect the cool school’s measured concision and blaze with bluesy passion, Molley has continued to gather admirers through a series of albums, tours and international collaborations. Successful club dates in Harlem and Greenwich Village and festival appearances as far afield as Rochester (New York), Auckland, Seoul and Madras have led most recently to the album Intercontinental, with Indian percussion master Krishna Kishor joining Molley’s quartet in a sizzling alliance.
FULL LIFE STORY
BRIAN MOLLEY – BIOGRAPHY
Saxophonist and composer Brian Molley is based in Scotland, leading several of his own projects as well as freelancing as an in demand session player. The focal point of Brian’s musical output since 2012 has been his group, Brian Molley Quartet.
In 2022 Brian Molley Quartet released their 4th record, Intercontinental [BGMM©]. A collaboration with renowned Indian percussionist, Krishna Kishor, the album has gathered much praise, described as “A sublime Indo-European fusion” by SONGLINES Magazine. Promotional touring has included appearances at Edinburgh Fringe as part of a Scottish tour and a performance at Auckland Arts Festival, New Zealand. 2023 also saw Brian travel to perform at the world renowned Jarasaum Jazz Festival in South Korea as part of an extensive tour and additional touring for BMQ has recently taken the group to Sunset/Sunside in Paris and The Jazz Station in Brussels.
Previous releases for BMQ have included Modern Traditions (2021), Colour and Movement (2017) and CLOCK (2013). The group have consistently demonstrated a deep respect for the jazz tradition whilst incorporating musical influences from around the world, reflecting the quartet’s wide and varied travels.
BMQ have undertaken several UK and international tours and have appeared at many of the UK’s leading jazz festivals including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Manchester. They have also delivered numerous live radio sessions including BBC Radio 3’s Jazz Line-Up and have been selected for the prestigious Made in Scotland programme at Edinburgh Fringe an unprecedented 3 times. In 2015 they travelled to perform at Rochester International Jazz Festival, New York, representing the cutting edge in UK jazz as part of the ‘Made in the UK’ series. Whilst in the US the band also performed at Silvana, Harlem and WhyNot Jazz Room in Greenwich Village, New York City.
In October 2015 Brian Molley Quartet made their first trip to India to perform at Jodhpur’s Rajasthan International Folk Festival, also giving performances in Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore. Their tour included a collaboration with renowned Rajasthani musicians from the Langa Community, creating a new programme of music which fused Brian’s compositions with Indian folk songs. The quartet returned to Rajasthan to perform once again at RIFF in 2016 working once more in collaboration with their Indian counterparts, the Asin Khan Langa Ensemble. Their performance heralded much acclaim – “an incredible experience, Brian Molley Quartet provided a mesmerising fusion” Huffington Post, “A Treat!” Rolling Stone Magazine.The combined groups also recorded the album Journeys in Hand (RIFF), in a custom built desert studio and the title track from the record was included in the June 2018 Songlines magazine compilation CD. In 2018 Asin Khan’s group travelled to perform alongside BMQ on a UK Tour as part of the Made in Scotland Programme.
BMQ travelled to India once again as part of the British Council’s UK/India 2017 season to collaborate on a new programme of Brian’s compositions fused with elements of Indian folk music, this time featuring renowned percussionist Krishna Kishor.
Working as a sideman Brian has performed with The BBC Big Band, The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra,The Raymond Scott Project, Fabio Torrés/Edu Ribéiro, Valery Ponomarev, Stan Sulzmann, The Everything Treatment, The Stu Brown Sextet, Mirium Aida/Mario Caribe, Red Young Organ Trio, David Patrick Sextet and The Sorensen Soul Workout among many others.
Classical and contemporary classical work has included appearances with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, Paragon Ensemble and The Scottish Concert Orchestra as well as performing the world premiere of Michael Spencer’s saxophone concerto ‘…los redes des piedra…’ with Garry Walker/The Kelvin Ensemble. Pop and session work has included Hue and Cry, Ricky Ross, The Bootleg Beatles, Silicone Soul, Colours at SSE Hydro, Ministry of Sound Annual Tour, The All You Need is Love Beatles Orchestra, Bad Manners, The DT6, The Peatbog Faeries, David McAlmont, Isobel Campbell and Camille O’Sullivan. As a theatre musician, career highlights have included working in London’s West End and on Broadway, New York on the National Theatre of Scotland/Improbable production ‘The Wolves in the Walls’.
Collaborative projects for Brian have included And’Art/Terre Sans Frontiere, a 10-day residency in 2009 in Tangiers, Morocco with a collective of Moroccan and International musicians, artists and film-makers, and a Scottish-Brazilian cross cultural project with Mario Caribé and Sao Paolo based musicians Fabio Torrés and Edu Ribéiro in 2012.
In 2011 Brian was commissioned by the Scottish Arts Council to produce an arrangement of electronic music pioneer Raymond Scott’s music for the Stu Brown Sextet. Portofino was premiered at Gateshead International Jazz Festival, April 2011. Additional commissions for Brian and the Raymond Scott Project have included an arrangement of the Scott Bradley cartoon score for Mouse For Sale, the Warner Brother’s Tom and Jerry cartoon.
EN FRANCAIS 🇫🇷
VERSION COURTE
Saxophoniste et flûtiste très expérimenté, Brian Molley a sorti le premier album de son quatuor, Clock, en 2013 et a été immédiatement noté comme « One to Watch » par Jazzwise. Avec un style de saxophone qui peut à la fois refléter la concision mesurée de l’école cool et flamboyer de passion bluesy. , Molley a continué à rassembler des admirateurs à travers une série d’albums, de tournées et de collaborations internationales. Des dates réussies dans des clubs de Harlem et de Greenwich Village et des apparitions dans des festivals aussi loin que Rochester (New York) et Madras ont conduit plus récemment à l’album Intercontinental, avec Le maître indien des percussions Krishna Kishor rejoint le quatuor de Molley dans une alliance torride
IN HINDI 🇮🇳
लघु संस्करण
एक अत्यधिक अनुभवी सैक्सोफोनिस्ट और फ़्लोटिस्ट, ब्रायन मोली ने 2013 में अपनी चौकड़ी का पहला एल्बम, क्लॉक जारी किया और जैज़वाइज द्वारा तुरंत “वन टू वॉच” के रूप में विख्यात किया गया। एक सैक्सोफोन शैली के साथ जो शांत स्कूल की मापी गई संक्षिप्तता को प्रतिबिंबित कर सकती है और नीले जुनून से जगमगा सकती है। , मोली ने एल्बमों, दौरों और अंतर्राष्ट्रीय सहयोगों की एक श्रृंखला के माध्यम से प्रशंसकों को जुटाना जारी रखा। हार्लेम और ग्रीनविच विलेज में सफल क्लब की तारीखें और रोचेस्टर (न्यूयॉर्क) और मद्रास जैसे दूरदराज के त्योहारों में उपस्थिति ने हाल ही में एल्बम इंटरकांटिनेंटल को जन्म दिया, जिसमें भारतीय पर्कशन मास्टर कृष्ण किशोर एक हॉट गठबंधन में मोली की चौकड़ी में शामिल हुए।
EN ESPAÑOL 🇪🇸
VERSION CORTA
Brian Molley, un saxofonista y flautista con gran experiencia, lanzó el álbum debut de su cuarteto, Clock, en 2013 y Jazzwise lo destacó inmediatamente como “One to Watch”. Con un estilo de saxofón que puede reflejar la mesurada concisión de la escuela cool y arder con pasión por el blues. , Molley continuó acumulando admiradores a través de una serie de álbumes, giras y colaboraciones internacionales. Las exitosas fechas en clubes de Harlem y Greenwich Village y apariciones en festivales tan lejanos como Rochester (Nueva York) y Madrás condujeron más recientemente al álbum Intercontinental, con el maestro de percusión indio Krishna Kishor uniéndose al cuarteto de Molley en una caliente alianza.
AUF DEUTSCH 🇩🇪
KURZE VERSION
Brian Molley, ein äußerst erfahrener Saxophonist und Flötist, veröffentlichte 2013 das Debütalbum seines Quartetts, Clock, und wurde von Jazzwise sofort als „One to Watch“ bezeichnet. Mit einem Saxophon-Stil, der sowohl die maßvolle Prägnanz der coolen Schule widerspiegeln als auch vor bluesiger Leidenschaft sprühen kann. , Molley gewann weiterhin Bewunderer durch eine Reihe von Alben, Tourneen und internationalen Kooperationen. Erfolgreiche Clubauftritte in Harlem und Greenwich Village sowie Auftritte auf Festivals bis nach Rochester (New York) und Madras führten kürzlich zum Album Intercontinental, bei dem sich der indische Percussion-Meister Krishna Kishor dem Molley-Quartett in einer heißen Allianz anschloss