Trumpeter and composer Michael Sarian has been praised for his "unique compositional and instrumental voice" (Friedrich Kunzmann, All About Jazz) and his "endlessly renewable strain of lyric improvisation regardless of context or material." (Peter Margasak, Downbeat Magazine).

Born in Toronto and raised in Buenos Aires, Sarian moved to New York City in 2012 and has since performed on some of the world’s most iconic stages, including the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the O2 Arena in London, and Teatro Colón in Argentina, as well as beloved NYC venues such as the Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center, BRIC JazzFest, the Beacon Theatre, Yankee Stadium, Barclays Center, and Central Park SummerStage. He has appeared on WNYC’s Soundcheck, NPR’s World Cafe, and more.

Michael's artistic output is as diverse as his background. He has released several albums with his long-standing acoustic quartet, including Live at Cliff Bell’s (Shifting Paradigm Records), which was named one of the best live albums of 2024 by The New York City Jazz Record, praising the quartet as “a band that’s developed the kind of telepathy only the road can build… there’s a late ’70s–early ’80s feel to the music throughout, more akin to the ‘stadium jazz’ of V.S.O.P. or Milestone-era McCoy Tyner” (Philip Freeman).

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His latest project, ESQUINA (out now on Greenleaf Music) shaped by Sarian’s Armenian heritage, Argentine upbringing, and deep grounding in jazz and improvisation, blends layered synths, extended trumpet techniques, and graphic scores to create immersive performances rooted in memory, dislocation, and ritual.

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In 2023, Michael joined the Jonas Brothers on their world tour, performing at sold out arenas and stadiums across the globe, and appears on their ‘Live From the O2 London’ album. He has also recorded and toured extensively with artists such as soul powerhouse Bette Smith and progressive jazz orchestra The NYChillharmonic.