Malcolm MacFarlane (guitar)Malcolm MacFarlane (guitar)
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Academic
Background & Training
Freelance/Session Work
Touring & Recording
Festival Appearances
Teaching/Education
Composition
Original Recordings
Mulford/MacFarlane Group
Current Projects
What the press have said
To email Malcolm click here
Academic Background & Training
Malcolm began playing the guitar at the age of 12,
remaining self-taught until 17 years old. He then studied with local professionals
Jonathan Phillips and Neil Munro in Edinburgh.
From 1983-1986 he attended the Leeds College of Music studying a Graduate Diploma in Light Music. In 1986 he received a first class diploma having specialised in jazz guitar under the tutelage of Adrian Ingram and Andy Watson. He was awarded the "Eric Kershaw Prize for Guitar" at the end of each year. He also studied in seminars with Barney Kessel, Howard Roberts and in a masterclass with Tal Farlow.
Freelance/Session
Work
Malcolm has performed a wide variety of gigs and worked
with various artists including: Matt Bianco, NYJO, Paz, Phil Mulford's "System
X", Salena Jones, Jim Mullen, Tony Woods Project, Gerard Presencer, Tommy Smith, Guy
Barker, Laurence Cottle, Brian Kellock, Ian Shaw, Mark Nightingale, John Etheridge, Gary
Husband, Matt Wates, Mornington Lockett, Dave O'Higgins, Charlie Rouse, Alan Barnes, Rob
Hall and Nigel Hitchcock amongst others.
Touring
and Recording
He joined Barbara Thompson's PARAPHERNALIA in
1988, touring widely in both Britain and in Europe, along with several appearances at
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club until 1995. He features on the band's CDs "Breathless"
(1991) and "Everlasting Flame" (1993), the latter having one of
his own compositions "The Night Before Culloden"
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In 1992 he joined SHAKATAK and toured with them in Japan, South Africa, Britain and Europe until 1995.
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Academic
Background & Training Freelance/Session Work Touring & Recording
Festival Appearances Teaching/Education Composition
Original Recordings
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Current Projects What the press have said
Festival
Appearances
Malcolm has appeared in the following festivals:
Glasgow, Scotland
Sopot, Poland
Cork, Ireland
Bergen, Norway
Leverkusen, Germany
Kassel, Germany
Durban, South Africa.
To email Malcolm click here
Teaching/Education
Malcom is involved in instrumental teaching,
improvisation, harmony, theory and composition for individuals as well as group tuition in
schools (including King's College, Wimbledon). He has been involved in higher
education at Richmond College, The Musicians' Institute, The Guitar Institute, Musicworks
in London and The BRIT School in Croydon.
He has run solo masterclasses and workshops with the Mulford/MacFarlane Group in London, Barnsley, Wakefield, Poole and Canterbury.
As well as a concert and workshop tour with the soloist of the orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in collaboration with the Royal Ballet playing the music of Astor Piazzolla in the autumn of 1999.
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Academic
Background & Training Freelance/Session Work Touring & Recording
Festival Appearances Teaching/Education Composition
Original Recordings
Mulford/MacFarlane Group
Current Projects What the press have said
Composition
He arranged his composition "It Never
Rains" for the National
Youth Jazz Orchestra who performed and recorded it at Ronnie Scott's in
1998. They now regularly perform it at concerts. It was also broadcast in a
specially recorded concert by the BBC in January 1999 and is to be included in a new NYJO
CD for the year 2000.
To email Malcolm click here
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In 1990 the CD "Six Strings Sampler" (SAP CD 100) featured two of Malcolm's compostitions: "Cheese" and "Magic Carpet". |
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The first release with the Mulford/MacFarlane Group on Bridge Records is "Jamming Frequency" featuring seven original compositions and three others. It received great reviews and was followed by a UK tour in 1995. |
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The group's second release "Bright Lights, Big City" on JAZZIZIT Records comes out on 24th January 2000. This CD has 11 tracks mixing original instrumental compositions and some great songs featuring Shakatak and Matt Bianco vocalist Jacqui Hicks. Also featured is Adrian Revell on saxophones who has worked with Down to the Bone, Incognito, Jamiroqui & the Brand New Heavies, Simon Carter on keyboards (currently a member of Jamiroqui), Keith Fairbairn on percussion (session supremo with Madonna etc), Chris Dagley on drums (great young talent with Gary Barlow and also a member of the BBC Radio Big Band) and on 3 tracks, Mike Bradley on drums (who has worked with Jim Mullen, Roadside Picnic, Gang of Three, Jacqui Dankworth, Claire Martin, Sax Appeal and Nelson Rangell) JITCD 99/20 |
| Bright Lights, Big City Mulford MacFarlane Group Jazzizit Records JITCD 9920 Take a slice through this CD with a hot, sharp knife and, whichever way you cut, you'd find chunks of the best. If you bought this purely as a pop album, then Jacqui Hicks' vocals would leave you in no doubt that you were listening to one of the top jazz/soul artists working in Britain at the moment. If I said that her reworking of My Foolish Heart had all of the power and passion of the best modern American singers, then you should know what I mean. An English rose combined with the artistry of Aretha Franklin or Chaka Khan. Saxophonist Arian Revell has worked extensively with Jamiroquai, The Brand New Heavies and Incognito. His fine tone and mature, restrained chops mark him out as someone to search out and study. His soprano saxophone playing over Phil Mulford's muted fretless bass on the intro to Back Home is sweetly lyrical with a distinctly personal voice. The rhythm section of leaders Phil Mulford (bass) and Malcolm MacFarlane (guitar), Chris Dagley (drums) with a touch of Mike Bradley and Simon Carter (keyboards) have a joint CV that stretches over many years and styles. Putting it simply they know how to groove without displaying all their wares at once. And I didn't even mention fusion. Paul Scott |
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Academic
Background & Training Freelance/Session Work Touring & Recording
Festival Appearances Teaching/Education Composition
Original Recordings
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Current Projects What the press have said
Mulford/MacFarlane Group
The group was formed in 1992 as a result of bassist Phil
Mulford and guitarist Malcolm MacFarlane playing together with
N.Y.J.O. and Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia. The group also contains Simon
Carter on keyboards and Mike Bradley on drums. For booking
information call Phil on 01737 379 389 or email him, or call Malcolm on 01620 823
642.
Current
Projects
At present, as well as the Mulford/MacFarlane Group,
Malcolm (based near Edinburgh) is involved in the Scottish Guitar
Quartet with Kevin Mackenzie, Nigel Clark and Ged Brochie and a Trio with Brian
Kellock and Kenny Ellis. They are available for work, for commissions to write music
and are open to anyone who wants to write for them.
What the press have said:
"Hot young guitarist"
The Guardian
"Brilliant new guitarist"
Musician Magazine
"Shrewd combination of discipline and
adventure...typically cogent and concise playing"
The Herald
"Consummate musician"
Edinburgh Evening News
To email Malcolm click here
To email the Scottish Guitar Quartet click here
Click on the heading you wish to go
to:
Academic
Background & Training Freelance/Session Work Touring & Recording
Festival Appearances Teaching/Education Composition
Original Recordings
Mulford/MacFarlane Group
Current Projects What the press have said
