Varner, April
Cellar Music, 2024, CD
Instrument: Female Vocals
Issue: 30.3
Jazz Ruler Type: Ballads, Blues
Performance: 4
Sound: 4
Score: 90
O’s Notes: April celebrates her first name with eleven songs including April in the title. Varner embellishes many of the standards with vocalese and lyrics along with a scintillating original “Who Let April Back Into My Dreams?” She performs with many different accompaniments: in a duo with bassist Reuben Rogers in “April Blues”, singing with Benny Benack III backed by a quintet on “I’ll Remember April”, and in a duet with the late Russell Malone (g) on “April Come She Will”. Dayna Stephens plays warm sax on several tracks notably “April Give Me One More Day” and “Lost April”. We also enjoyed the cool “April Again” in a very rewarding session.
Publicist: Lisa Reedy Promotions
