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Justin Varnes

Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Justin Varnes began studying music at 10 – on the trumpet. His father – an avid jazz listener – exposed him to Stan Kenton, Nat “King” Cole, and Erroll Garner. After attending Douglas Anderson School of the Arts on trumpet, Justin studied drum set with Ray Charles alumnus Rick Kirkland. Then he studied music at the University of North Florida under Charlotte Mabrey, Bill Prince, and Bunky Green while continuing to take privately from Rick Kirkland. After graduating with degrees in jazz studies and percussion, Justin relocated to New York City where he continued to study at the New School and study privately with Jojo Mayer. In New York, Justin began touring with Phoebe Snow, with whom he performed on the Roseanne Barr Show, as well as National Public Radio’s “World Cafe” (Justin would later perform on “World Cafe” with “Five for Fighting”).

While in New York, Justin also studied with Vernel Fournier, Reggie Workman, and Joe Chambers. Outside of private lessons, he received a healthy education on Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Small’s listening to Kurt Rosenwinkle (with Jeff Ballard) and the Sam Yahel Trio (with Brian Blade). He also developed musically through regular rehearsing and performing in groups led by Coby Brown, Oscar Perez, Bob Reynolds, Nate Shaw, and Doug Wamble.

Currently residing in Atlanta, GA, he splits his time performing and teaching at Georgia State University. In Atlanta he performs with Audrey Shakir, Kevin Bales, Mace Hibbard, Joe Gransden, and Gary Motley.

Justin has performed with Mose Allison, Wesell Anderson, Kenny Barron, Ann Hampton Callaway, Victor Goines, Wycliffe Gordon, Vincent Herring, The Earl Klugh Trio, Oscar Perez, Marcus Printup, Bob Reynolds, Lew Soloff, David Sanchez, Annie Sellick, Phoebe Snow, Ira Sullivan, Christian Tamburr, and Doug Wamble.

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4
Live Review

Boléro, Blue Danube & Valkyries At The Jazz Corner

Read "Boléro, Blue Danube & Valkyries At The Jazz Corner" reviewed by Martin McFie


Justin Varnes Orchestra The Jazz Corner Classical meets Jazz Hilton Head Island,SC October 20, 2019 As a precursor to the two main pieces of music in this Sunday lunchtime program, the Justin Varnes Orchestra played the most famous waltz ever written, Johann Strauss' II “Blue Danube." The instantly recognized theme was so well-known it had kitsch value, the audience clapping along in time. There was that ironic, impish humor which Duke Ellington brought to ...

4
Live Review

The Justin Varnes Orchestra's Rhapsody In Blue At The Jazz Corner

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The Justin Varnes Orchestra The Jazz Corner Rhapsody in Blue Hilton Head Island, SC May 12, 2019For Mother's Day luncheon, The Jazz Corner presented another in their “Classical meets Jazz" series of concerts, “Rhapsody in Blue."The opening clarinet trill, a scale, then the slowly extruded glissando had the edgy, haunting quality of an emergency siren winding up to announce the theme. The opening measures of “Rhapsody in Blue" may be ...

5
Live Review

Justin Varnes Orchestra's Peer Gynt Suite At The Jazz Corner

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Justin Varnes Orchestra The Jazz Corner Peer Gynt Suite Hilton Head Island, SC January 20, 2019 Written in five acts of rhyming Danish verse, Peer Gynt is a play by Norwegian Henrik Ibsen, which was set to music by fellow countryman Edvard Grieg. Where does the jazz come in? Like so much jazz, it comes in through the door marked “Duke Ellington" with “Billy Strayhorn" sharing the office. In the early '60s, while The ...

4
Live Review

Ellington's Nutcracker at The Jazz Corner

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Justin Varnes The Jazz Corner Hilton Head Island, SC December 15, 2017Every Christmas is the Nutcracker Season for ballet aficionados. The legendary composing and arranging skills of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn also make it Nutcracker Season for jazz aficionados. In 1960, Ellington and Strayhorn wrote their version of the famous Tchaikovsky ballet. A big part of the Duke Ellington sound came from extending the instruments in his big band, wood blocks ...

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