Riley Mulherkar

Riley Mulherkar is one of the most brilliant trumpet voices of the new generation – an artist who combines virtuoso precision with a deep, emotional sound that has already made him a favorite with audiences around the world. A co-founder of the critically acclaimed brass quartet The Westerlies, he made his big break as a solo artist in 2024 with his debut album Riley, described by DownBeat as “über hip, modern yet timeless… one of the best debut records to come out in a long, long time.”

Raised in Seattle’s unexpectedly rich jazz scene, it was clear early on that Mulherkar was an extraordinary talent. Under the tutelage of legendary teachers like Robert Knatt and Clarence Acox, he developed a musicianship and discipline that led him to The Juilliard School – where he quickly found a musical home with Jazz at Lincoln Center and its artistic director Wynton Marsalis, who has repeatedly singled him out as one of the most promising trumpeters of his generation.

Since then, Riley has played with names like Kenny Barron, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Anna Deavere Smith and Alan Cumming, and in 2020 was awarded Lincoln Center’s Emerging Artist Award for his work as “an original bandleader, composer, arranger, educator, community activist and advocate for jazz and the arts.”

His debut album Riley is a modern and cinematic exploration of the expressive possibilities of the trumpet – where Mulherkar’s melodic voice is placed in textured, detailed soundscapes created by producers Rafiq Bhatia (Son Lux) and Chris Pattishall. The result is a work that both pays tribute to and challenges the jazz tradition, where classics and new Mulherkar compositions are given new life in a contemporary, emotionally charged sound universe.

When Riley Mulherkar comes to Moldejazz 2026, a concert filled with brilliance, warmth and musical innovation awaits – one of the year’s great highlights for anyone who loves modern jazz in its most vibrant form.