For Dutch trumpet player and bandleader Rik Mol, the trumpet is much more than a solo instrument. It can carry a melody like a human voice, sit deep inside a groove or take the music somewhere completely unexpected.

That approach is at the heart of the Rik Mol Group, his original project bringing together improvisation with the rhythms and sounds of funk, soul and hip-hop. Strong melodies, layered horn arrangements and contemporary production meet the spontaneous interaction of a live band. The result is music with the sophistication of jazz and the rhythmic energy to move an audience.

Mol has been developing his own musical voice since his early career. His debut album, What's On Tonight?!, introduced his approach to combining improvisation with funk and hip-hop grooves. Funk On Me expanded that sound, followed by further independent releases including the Infinite Mirrors series.

Throughout his recording career, Mol has remained an independent artist, creating and releasing music on his own label.

With his own band, he has toured extensively across Europe, South America and Asia, performing in countries including Japan, China and South Korea.

Alongside his career as a recording artist and bandleader, Mol is a trumpet soloist with the internationally acclaimed Metropole Orkest. His work has taken him to stages including London's Royal Albert Hall and brought him into projects with Quincy Jones, as well as collaborations with Marcus Miller, Robert Glasper and Gregory Porter.

His career began early. After studying at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, Mol won the European Trumpet Contest and Prinses Christina Concours in 2004, establishing himself on the Dutch jazz scene.

Today, his own compositions and the Rik Mol Group remain at the centre of his artistic work. Alongside the Group, the Rik Mol / Rob van Bavel Duo explores ballads, jazz standards and original compositions for trumpet and piano.

Across both projects, Mol continues to explore the possibilities of a personal sound: deeply rooted in jazz, open to new influences and always driven by melody.