Malcolm Strachan

His latest album Look On The Brightside (May 2026) is his most groove-driven work yet, exploring funk, Motown and 1990s house, interpreted through acoustic jazz instrumentation.

Malcolm Strachan is a Scottish trumpeter, composer and bandleader whose career spans contemporary jazz, funk and improvised music. Based in the UK and working internationally, he is known for his lyrical tone, strong rhythmic sensibility and long-standing commitment to ensemble-led performance.

Alongside his work as a solo artist, Strachan has built an extensive career in the music industry, performing and recording with a wide range of artists across jazz, soul and popular music. His performance and touring credits include Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jamiroquai, The New Mastersounds, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas and Craig Charles’s Fantasy Funk Band. His trumpet playing also features on studio recordings by artists including Jess Glynne, The Libertines, Lisa Stansfield, Martina Topley-Bird, Smoove & Turrell, Reverend And The Makers and EMF, reflecting a sustained presence across the UK’s pop, soul and independent music scenes.

Originally from Inverness, Scotland, Strachan co-founded the horn section and funk band The Haggis Horns in 1998. The group gained early recognition following their appearance on Keb Darge Presents The New Mastersounds and released their debut album Hot Damn in 2007 on First Word Records. As part of The Haggis Horns, Strachan has performed with artists including Adele, Robbie Williams and Duran Duran.

Alongside a sustained performing career, Strachan has developed a distinct body of work as a composer and bandleader. His debut solo album About Time (2020) marked a shift towards a more personal artistic focus, blending jazz-funk rhythms with acoustic jazz sensibilities. This was followed by Point Of No Return (2023), which expanded his palette through modal writing, Latin and Brazilian influences, cinematic textures and ballad forms.

His forthcoming album continues this trajectory, presenting seven original compositions with a stronger emphasis on groove-led writing, drawing on funk, Motown-influenced forms and elements of 1990s house, realised through an acoustic jazz ensemble. Featuring guest vocals from Tanja Daese on two tracks, the release forms the basis of his current live work.