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Bria Skonberg is a Juno-award winning artist, 10x Downbeat Rising Star, Jazz at Lincoln Center Swing! Awardee, and the 2022 recipient of the "Legend" Award by the Society for the Preservation of the Great American Songbook. The trumpeter, vocalist, and composer has been called the"shining hope of hot jazz" (NY Times) and is considered "one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation." (WSJ) She has been a featured artist at hundreds of festivals and stages the world over, including New Orleans Jazz & Heritage, Monterey, Newport, and Montreal Jazz Festivals.
A 3x Juno Award Nominee, Bria's debut LP on Sony Masterworks won for Best Jazz Vocal Album and made the Top 5 on Billboard jazz charts. Her upcoming seventh studio album What it Means was recorded in New Orleans with the Crescent City’s finest and is set for release in July, 2024. She tours constantly bringing her own signature sounds of fiery trumpet playing, smoky vocals and story-telling together with adventurous concoctions of classic and new.
The daughter of teachers, Bria is passionate about education and the learning experience. She was introduced to jazz by a spirited public school band program and local festival in her hometown of Chilliwack. She earned her degree in Jazz Trumpet Performance from Capilano University in Vancouver where she studied with Kevin Elaschuk, Alan Matheson, and independently with Australian cornetist Simon Stribling, all while balancing a full road schedule and managing two bands. Following graduation she performed for four years with Canada’s King of Swing, Dal Richards, and was taken under the wing of music producer Paul Airey who cultivated her love of songwriting. A featured performance at the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Paralympic Games capped off this exciting chapter.
She traveled extensively, performing in China, Japan and throughout Europe as a featured artist in traditional jazz circles. Seeking new challenges, Bria moved to New York in 2010. She has studied privately with renowned trumpeters Warren Vache and Jon Faddis, and performed with the likes of Wyclife Gordon, Jon Batiste, Stephane Wrembel and Steven Bernstein. She released two more solo records with Random Act Records, So Is The Day (2012) and Into Your Own (2014) highlighting her songwriting and sound explorations. At this point she met renowned record producer Matt Pierson and started a musical collaboration that would see her award-winning album Bria (2016) and With a Twist (2017) released on OKeh Records (Sony). Her 2019 independent release Nothing Never Happens features predominantly original compositions.
Since arriving in New York she has been at the forefront of a revival of classic American music as both a performer and educator, programming concerts and workshops for students of all ages on behalf of Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Louis Armstrong House Museum, Jazz House Kids and more. Bria is a co-producer of the NY Hot Jazz Camp, an annual immersive learning experience for adults in the heart of Greenwich Village, as well as the annual Gotham Jazz Festival. She has served as faculty at the Teagarden Jazz Camp (Sacramento Jazz Education Foundation), Centrum Jazz Camp, Geri Allen Jazz Camp and Junior Jazz Academy (JALC). She now appears often giving masterclasses and private instruction as well as directing and performing with student ensembles at all levels. In 2018 Lincoln Center sought out her leadership for a tribute to the first integrated all female big band, the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, which marked the debut of her “Sisterhood of Swing” ensemble. She has been musical director for two further concerts of this material featuring Grammy award winning vocalist, Catherine Russell, who is the daughter of International Sweethearts of Rhythm guitarist Carline Ray.
Notable touring includes being a featured member of the 2019 Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour for 26 dates alongside Cecile McLorin Salvant, Christian Sands, Melissa Aldana and Jamison Ross. Since the start of 2024 she has toured 45 cities in US and Canada with “Sing & Swing: Our Great American Songbook” alongside fellow trumpeter and vocalist Benny Benack III, presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center and IMG Artists.
Bria is an active mentor in the Women in Jazz Organization, a Bach Conn-Selmer artist, a board member of theInternational Trumpet Guild, and became a mother in 2020.