Moldejazz 2026 | Riley Mulherkar

Riley Mulherkar is one of the brightest trumpet voices of the new generation – an artist who combines virtuosic precision with a deep, emotional tone that has already made him a favorite with audiences around the world. He is the co-founder of the critically acclaimed brass quartet The Westerlies, and he had his major breakthrough 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.”

Growing up in Seattle’s unexpectedly rich jazz scene, it quickly became clear that Mulherkar was an exceptional talent. Under the guidance of legendary educators such as Robert Knatt and Clarence Acox, he developed a musicality and discipline that led him to The Juilliard School – where he soon found a musical home at Jazz at Lincoln Center and with its artistic director Wynton Marsalis, who has repeatedly highlighted him as one of his generation’s most promising trumpeters.