Malcolm Aiken

A rising star in the Canadian music scene, Malcolm Aiken is an accomplished trumpet player and producer based in Vancouver. Praised for his warm, lyrical sound, Malcolm’s style traverses the rich textures of jazz, latin and pop music.

Malcolm’s passion for music started at an early age: the discovery of Louis Armstrong in the family record collection was the catalyst, igniting a long love affair with jazz that continues to this day. He finds inspiration from many of the jazz greats, drawing upon the playful exuberance of Freddie Hubbard, the velvet breathiness of Chet Baker, and the haunting cool-jazz ruminations of Miles Davis.

A graduate of the University of British Columbia with a master’s degree in ethnomusicology, Malcolm’s creative interests are driven by a passion for fusion of musical genres, and the mixing of traditional and contemporary sounds, both within jazz and across the globe. His pursuit of musical innovation, the diversity of world music styles and the impact of an increasingly multicultural and globalized music landscape fuels his inspiration to create new forms of musical expression.

Malcolm is an active performer across western Canada and since 2006, has been featured annually at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, The Sun Peaks Music Festival, and The Whistler Music Festival. In addition to performances with his quintet, he regularly plays with orchestras, jazz big bands and experimental music projects, and has performed internationally in concerts in the United States, Europe and Asia. Malcolm has shared the stage with the likes of Chucho Valdez, Hugh Fraser and Bubi Chen, and has performed for international audiences at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games and for world figures including the Dalai Lama, Reverend Desmond Tutu and Shirin Ebadi.

A strong advocate for music education and a respected clinician and adjudicator, Malcolm shares his experience and enthusiasm for music through workshops and conferences with brass players of all ages. In addition to on-going faculty positions at the annual Whistler Music Festival and Sun Peaks Music Festival, he has taught clinics and master classes to students in Canada, Taiwan, Indonesia and Hong Kong.

His debut full-length album, Paper Star, showcases his lyrical trumpet sound with a collection of original compositions and several intimate interpretations of jazz and classical standards. Malcolm describes the album as “bringing together all my influences as a musician – from the smoky jazz club, Cuban dance hall, to the symphony orchestra. It’s a fusion of musical textures with an intimate and introspective sound, backed by lush instrumentation and a sophisticated groove.” Since its release, Paper Star has received glowing reviews, and has been described as an “impressive and gorgeously recorded release.” (Stuart Derdeyn, The Province).