Praised for his warm, lyrical tone, trumpeter Malcolm Aiken weaves together influences of jazz, world and pop music. His bold new album “New Futures” showcases sounds forged during his four year residency at Guilt & Company, Vancouver’s celebrated live music mecca. The sound is dub-soaked jazz with a splash of soul, down-tempo grooves, and vintage synths that set the mood for his velvet trumpet tone and sinewy improvisations. With his band a synergy emanates that recalls the sounds of Bob James and electric-era Miles Davis, with modern beats inspired by J Dilla, Flying Lotus and Robert Glasper. It’s been called “a west coast take on Nordic nu-jazz. Long, languid horn lines drift over hip beats and chill atmospheres in a collection of sparkling instrumentals.

Based on the west coast, Malcolm is an international touring and recording artist who has performed with an impressive array of musical icons including Latin jazz legend Chucho Valdez, Noel Gallagher of Oasis, R&B Hall of Fame singer Dutch Robinson, Polaris-prize winning band Patrick Watson and salsa superstar Jimmy Bosch. He’s played for global audiences at the 2010 Winter Olympics, and for world figures including the Dalai Lama, Reverend Desmond Tutu and Shirin Ebadi. As both a player and producer, Malcolm maintains a diverse and dynamic schedule performing in clubs, festivals and concert halls across Canada and abroad, while working with artists and collaborators in the US, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Mexico City, and Cuba.

As an educator, Malcolm is an in-demand music adjudicator and clinician. From 2005-15, he served as director of brass with the award-winning West Vancouver Youth Band. He is currently acting Artist in Residence at the Vancouver School Board and sits on faculty at the Sun Peaks and Whistler Music Festivals. He holds a Master’s degree in ethnomusicology from the University of British Columbia, and has published articles exploring topics on brass pedagogy and Latin jazz. He is a frequent panelist for the Juno Awards, FACTOR and the Canada Council for the Arts.
Malcolm is a Stomvi Brass Performing Artist and holds endorsements from AMT Microphones and Matterhorn Music.

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