Linlithgow doesn’t often feature in musicians’ touring schedules alongside Paris, Frankfurt, Brussels and Bruges. But saxophonist Brian Molley’s latest itinerary starts off at St Peter’s Church in Linlithgow High Street on Friday 28 October before moving onto France, Germany and Belgium, with a concert in St Bride’s in Edinburgh on the way.
The tour comes at the end of an eventful year for Glasgow-based Molley. First, in December, he released his quartet’s third album, Modern Traditions to acclaim from Canada, the U.S., Europe and Australia. Then, just six months later, came another album, Intercontinental featuring the quartet and special guest, Indian percussionist Krishna Kishor.
Due to travel restrictions and ongoing Covid-related interruptions, Intercontinental was recorded remotely, with Molley’s quartet sending their music from a Glasgow studio for Kishor to play along with and add his percussive magic in Chennai, the city formerly known as Madras on the Bay of Bengal.
Kishor subsequently joined Molley’s group on some live dates to promote the album in August, an experience that – organisationally – left Molley in need of some battery recharging but otherwise elated and hungry for more.
“It’s not like phoning the other three guys across Glasgow when a gig comes in and jumping in the car,” he says. “When you’re at the mercy of flight times, possible delays and concerns about instruments going missing in transit, it can be quite stressful. It was worth it in the end, though, no question, and I felt we built on the rapport we’d created with Krishna when we’d played together before.”
Molley and Kishor met in Chennai in 2017 when the percussionist joined the saxophonist’s quartet for a concert at Madras Jazz Festival. The bond between Molley and his duo partner in Linlithgow, pianist Tom Gibbs, goes back twice as long, however.
“Tom’s been with me since I formed the quartet ten or twelve years ago, maybe more,” says Molley. “He’s a fantastically responsive player so when the chance to play in a duo at St Peter’s Church came up, I grabbed it and phoned Tom immediately.”
They’ll be playing music from Molley’s various albums and a few favourite jazz standards, although the chance to be spontaneous and play what feels right for the room and the audience appeals, too.
“We’ll have an idea of what we’ll be playing in advance but the great thing about playing in a duo, especially with Tom, is that we can go wherever we want to musically on the night,” says Molley. “I’ve heard nothing but great things about St Peter’s. Everyone tells me its interior is gorgeous, like a little part of a Greek island in the middle of Linlithgow High Street. It sounds special and we’re really looking forward to seeing it and getting to play there.”
