Brian Gulland

A classically trained musician and graduate of the Royal College of Music in London, Brian Gulland was proficient on the bassoon and such archaic instruments as the krumhorn, with a special interest in medieval and Renaissance music (and particularly early church music), when he embarked on a career in rock music in the early '70s. A onetime member of London Pro Musica and Musica Reservata, he chanced to meet fellow RCM student Richard Harvey, who had similar interests in early music, and the two, along with guitarist Graeme Taylor, formed what eventually became known as Gryphon. A folk-rock group with a special focus on instruments and musical sounds from antiquity, the group soon switched to a more progressive rock-oriented sound and approach, and became popular enough to tour North America in support of Yes. Gulland's bassoon and krumhorn (and bass krumhorn) were central to their sound, and he also sang with the group and played some keyboards. Following the breakup of the group late in the 1970s, Gulland turned to writing music for commercials, television, and feature films as well as session work and playing as a member of the French folk-rock band Malicorne. Based in North Wales in recent years, he owns his own mobile studio, called Gullwing, and has played as a member of the New Scorpion Band. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi