The UK-based Brian Molley Quartet Jazz band collaborated with Rajasthani folk musicians to give a stellar performance at Taj Mahal’s Diwali party
Brian Molley is in love with the Indian hospitality, especially post his RIFF (Rajasthan International Folk Festival) performance where the audience celebrated his birthday and cheered for him. This might be his first tour in India, but Molley feels that Indians are warm and adaptable to all kinds of music genres.
Clad in black silk kurta pyjama, Molley tells us that RIFF was a life changing experience. He collaborated with renowned folk musicians from Manganiyar community. “We got two days to rehearse. We talked a lot but it’s only when we practiced together, we understood each other’s rhythm. The musicians from Rajasthan are open-minded. Therefore the collaboration worked well and I truly feel that music is a universal language and is not dependent on words,” says Molley.
This Scotland-based band also features Brazilian bassist Mario Caribe, Stuart Brown on drumbass and drums and young musician from Delhi, Utsav lal on the keyboard. “There is harmony in Jazz, so in the Rajasthani folk. However, their big feature is the intense rhythmic development that goes well with our kind of music which is Brazilian. We have blended those together to come out with something of our own. Unfortunately, I could not explore the lyrics, but I’ll definitely see this style of work appear in my next album,” says Molley.
The fusion was lyrical and innovative. The romantic yet tender rhythm of saxophone went beautifully with the rich notes of the Rajasthani musicians. Molley adds, “Jazz has a niche audience but when you blend some other genre of music properly, it can surprise you. There is a lot of experimentation happening in jazz. It goes well with the Indian folk and we’ll continue to do such innovations.”
Molley started playing saxophone when he was in high school in the UK. His biggest influence is his musician father and he admires American tenor saxophone giant Stan Getz. “At an early age, I knew that’s my calling. The best part of my job is to create music with like-minded people,” says he.