Wed Apr 15
April Varner - Recording Release - Ella Fitzgerald Birthday Celebration
9:30PM / $35 | $7 Fees Get Tickets
April Varner
Her next album, entitled “Ella” is set to be released on March 20th 2026 with Cellar Live. Having been April’s biggest vocal inspiration, this album will feature a collection of Ella Fitzgerald’s greatest hits with a twist, spanning from the very beginning of her career to her peak. Produced by Ulysses Owens Jr., personnel include Emmet Cohen, Yasushi Nakamura, and more!
"Fresh off her tour with internationally acclaimed group, Postmodern Jukebox, Award-Winning NYC Jazz Vocalist, April Varner is characterized as having the voice of an "old soul". Recognizable by her curly red hair, April Varner brings her listeners to another place- one long ago when the giants of jazz were still gracing the stage. Amassing over several viral videos of 1 million+ views on her social media of her challenging solo transcriptions, cleverly crafted vocalises and acapella renditions of the Great American Songbook, April’s voice can fit itself into a myriad of different molds.
At the age of 28, April has immersed herself deeply into the jazz tradition and has performed/studied with a multitude of legendary artists and jazz luminaries such as Tierney Sutton, Russell Malone, Sachal Vasandani, Jane Monheit, Kurt Elling, and others. April graduated in May of 2022 with her Master’s degree in Jazz Voice Performance from the Manhattan School of Music under the guidance of 2-time Grammy nominated vocalist and teacher Theo Bleckmann.
She was awarded the 2023 Winner of the International Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition, 2024 Honorable Mention Award in the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Competition and a most recent mention in the 73rd Annual Critics Poll in Downbeat Magazine as a “Rising Star Female Vocalist of the Year”.
In June of 2024, April released her debut full-length album, “April by April Varner”, through Cellar Live Record Label. It had great success with a 4 star review in Downbeat Magazine (October 2024 issue), was included in Downbeat's "Best Albums of 2024" list (January Issue) and was listed in The New York City Jazz Record's "Best of 2024" under "Debuts" and "Vocal Releases" (January Issue).
In November 2025, April released the second collection, “Winter Songs Vol. 2”, this time as a full length Christmas album on Cellar Live Record Label. Once again produced by Ulysses Owens Jr. and featuring him on drums, personnel included Luther Allison (piano), Yasushi Nakamura (bass), The Sunhouse Singers vocal trio (June Cavlan, Kate Kortum, Joie Bianco), Theo Bleckmann (vocals) and Leandro Pellegrino (guitar).
In a short amount of time, this record has received many glowing reviews: “the album retains warmth without succumbing to nostalgia, intelligence without pretension…” (Paris Move, Highest Rating of ‘Indespensable’), “It isn’t just her pretty voice, either. It’s her style, technique, and heart…” (The Toledo Blade).
9:30PM / $35 | $7 Fees Get Tickets
1. Final sale, no refunds, not transferable.
2. $15 food/beverage minimum per person not included in ticket price.
3. Seating first come at the door. Doors open 6 PM & 8:45 PM respectively Monday thru Saturday, and 4:30 PM & 7:15 PM Sundays.
4. No Photography or Recording of any kind during the performance.
5. Keep conversation to a minimum during the performance.