Kalia Vandever

About

Kalia Vandever is a Grammy Award–winning trombonist and composer based in Brooklyn, NY. Known for her warm, lyrical tone and patient improvisational approach, she has emerged as one of the defining voices of contemporary trombone. A 2017 graduate of the Juilliard School, Vandever has released multiple critically acclaimed albums, including In Bloom (2019), Regrowth (2022), We Fell In Turn (2023), and Another View (2025). She has performed internationally with her quartet at major festivals such as Winter Jazz Fest and BRIC Jazz Festival, and is a sought-after side-woman with artists including Joel Ross, Immanuel Wilkins, Fay Victor, Harry Styles, Lizzo, Japanese Breakfast, Moses Sumney, and Jennifer Hudson. She appears regularly on television, including Saturday Night Live and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, and is an active educator currently on faculty at the New England Conservatory.