Award-winning New York City–based jazz vocalist and composer April Varner is quickly making her mark as one of the most exciting young voices in jazz. Recognized for her “vocal dynamism, authentic jazz phrasing, and profound command of scat and vocalese” (The New York City Jazz Record), she combines old-soul artistry with a fresh, contemporary presence. Her creative solo transcriptions, clever vocalese, and a cappella renditions of the Great American Songbook have garnered viral attention online, showcasing her versatility and deep connection to the jazz tradition.

April has appeared at leading venues including Birdland Jazz Club (sold-out debut), Mezzrow Jazz Club (sold-out debut), 54 Below, Blues Alley, Chris’s Jazz Café, and Con Alma. Internationally, she headlined France’s Longjumeau Jazz Festival in tribute to Ella Fitzgerald and gave two performances at Paris’s Sunset Sunside. Upcoming highlights include the Jazz For All Ages Festival in Hilton Head, SC, alongside Kurt Elling, Catherine Russell, John Pizzarelli, and Emmet Cohen. A winner of the 2023 International Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition and recipient of a 2024 ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award, she recently released her debut album April by April Varner on Cellar Live, produced by Grammy Award–winning drummer and educator Ulysses Owens Jr.