“Every now and then, a musician comes along who has a vision and focus that you just know will affect the world—a sense of high artistry, skill, and profound leadership. Skylar Tang is one of the ones in her generation who fits this description.”

— Sean Jones

Skylar Tang is a trumpet player and composer born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her first musical experiences came from her father, an amateur classical pianist and jazz enthusiast. While starting her on classical piano training at age 5, he simultaneously introduced her to his favorite jazz records and standards. Captivated by the sounds of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, and other great musicians from her dad’s CD collection, Tang developed a passion and an ear for jazz.

Tang began playing the trumpet at age 9 and composing at age 14. During her teenage years, she immersed herself in the Bay Area scene and participated in high-school programs such as the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars, Carnegie Hall’s NYO Jazz, and National YoungArts Week. She won the 2022 Essentially Ellington’s Student Composition/Arranging Contest for her original composition "Kaleidoscope.”

In 2024, Tang moved to New York City to study History at Columbia University. During her first semester at school, Joshua Redman invited her to record on his 2025 album, Words Fall Short. As she settled into the New York scene, she joined forces with pianist William Schwartzman, bassist John Murray, and drummer Ethan Oliver to form her quartet. In addition to gigging locally, they tour nationally and internationally, and recently performed at the 2026 Montreal Jazz Festival.

Tang has had the privilege of sharing the stage with Joshua Redman, the SFJAZZ Collective, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Sean Jones, Rufus Reid, John Santos, Walter Smith, and other heroes of hers.