An exuberant, rough-hewn player, Malik is one of the few trumpeters to excel at the kind of high-energy free jazz made famous by pianist Cecil Taylor and his acolytes. Indeed, Malik is best known for his work in Taylor's various '70s and '80s bands. Malik was born and raised in the Boston area. He attended the University of Massachusetts from 1966-1970, then went to Paris, where he met saxophonist Frank Wright and members of the Art Ensemble of Chicago. In 1974, Malik performed at New York's Carnegie Hall as part of a Taylor big band. Malik played and recorded with Taylor in the mid-'70s, touring Europe several times, and would continue to play with the pianist sporadically through the '80s. In the '90s, Malik began recording as a leader, making albums for the Eremite, Mapleshade, and FMP labels. He also performs and records with Boston-based drummer Dennis Warren's Full Metal Revolutionary Jazz Ensemble.