James McClure

South African trumpet player and composer James McClure presents his deeply personal Debut Album on Molk Records (27 February 2026). He is a powerful emerging voice within Amsterdam’s experimental music community, known for his mesmerising sound, patience and sensibility. This is a bold and introspective work that invites deep listening. It is rooted in emotion, free improvisation and progressive thought with traces of heritage, while the album is held together by a recurring lullaby written in response to violence and global unrest. It is a call for change, reflection and healing that feels ever more relevant and increasingly urgent. 

Based in Amsterdam since 2015, James has become part of the city’s vibrant experimental music community. Although this marks his debut release as a bandleader, the album reflects years of collaboration, performance, research and exploration. The compositions and ensemble sound reflect his inner world and lifelong pursuit of honest expression. The music moves between intensity and release. It is an invitation to breathe, to feel, and to listen. 

"I hope to create a space where the musicians can express themselves freely and listeners can experience or feel something through the music. Whether it's confronting, energising, thought-provoking, or healing. An exchange of sharing and receiving where the music is brought to life." 

McClure has gained recognition for his work with Frank Rosaly & Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti’s Mestizx, Asher Gamedze and Hilton Schilders, alongside his own and collaborative projects, including: SOFAYA, MUNGO BUNGO, Band Photo, 12 Tribes of Mars, Zenzele Mthembu-Salter and KATOM

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