Glasgow-based jazz musician Brian Molley has played everywhere from Brazil to Morocco, and influences from all these places have seeped into his music. “With my band — Brian Molley Quartet — I play a lot of different styles. That’s part of my outlook on music. The band plays Scottish music, and folk tunes from Brazil, India and various corners of the globe, all drawn together as jazz,” shares the saxophonist, who just wrapped up a gig at the Madras Jazz Festival. The quartet heads to Bengaluru this weekend for a concert by Highnote Entertainment.
The Brian Molley Quartet comprises Brian on saxophone (and sometimes on the flute), Tom Gibbs on piano, Brodie Jarvie on double bass and Stuart Brown on drums. Playing together since 2012, the band became popular for albums such as Clock (2013), and Colour and Movement (2017). The band’s brand of Scottish jazz incorporates strong tradition and influences from classic American jazz, as well as jazz from Europe. “At the gig, we’ll be playing music from our older albums, as well as some new material specially written for this tour. I’ve always been really curious about all sorts of music so the records reflect a wide range of styles, all brought together by our group,” he adds. The first time Brian visited India in 2015, he was inspired by local folk music. “It was fantastic! We even recorded an album, Journeys in Hand, on a subsequent trip to Rajasthan,” he shares.
Brian’s repertoire also includes music for theatre productions in London’s West End, the National Theatre of Scotland and on Broadway. At the recent Edinburgh Jazz Festival, the artiste also released jazz re-imaginings of Disney film themes and the theme from a Tom and Jerry short, Mouse for Sale. “The original songs are so well-crafted and it was great to work with the material and rearrange it into something new. My four year-old daughter is a big Disney fan and we’ve spent many hours watching
the films together!” he reveals.
This is the band’s fifth trip to India and Bengaluru is the last stop in the four-city tour.
Rs. 499. October 19, 9 pm. At Radisson Blu Atria Bengaluru, Palace Road
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