The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College is proud to present award-winning jazz vocalist and composer April Varner in a new installment of the center’s Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon series. “April Sings Ella” will take place on Sunday, March 9 at 3 p.m. at the Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre (Building #12).
Recognizable by her curly red hair and voice of an “old soul,” Varner brings her listeners to another place—one long ago when the giants of jazz were still gracing the stage. Her interpretations of classic jazz have earned her viral status on social media, with million-plus views of her challenging solo transcriptions, cleverly crafted vocaleses, and a cappella renditions of the Great American Songbook.
At just 27 years old, Varner has already established herself as a significant voice in jazz. She has performed with and studied under legendary artists including Tierney Sutton, Russell Malone, Sachal Vasandani, Jane Monheit, and Kurt Elling. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music with a master’s degree in Jazz Voice Performance, Varner studied under the guidance of two-time Grammy©-nominated vocalist Theo Bleckmann. Her debut album, “April by April Varner” (Cellar Live Record Label), was awarded 4 out of 5 stars from Downbeat Magazine. The album, produced by Grammy Award-winning drummer, producer, and educator Ulysses Owens Jr., features a genre-busting collection of all April-titled songs and is available on all streaming platforms.
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience April Varner’s tribute to the “First Lady of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald, who has always been one of Varner’s greatest inspirations. The concert will feature Fitzgerald’s greatest hits and classics.
Tickets are $28 for adults / $24 for seniors and can be purchased online at grunincenter.org or by calling the Grunin Center Box Office at 732-255-0500.
Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon is made possible through funding from the Wintrode Family Foundation, the Ocean County College Foundation, and through support from the New Jersey Jazz Society.