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Andreas Varady

Andreas Varady is “one of the most talented people on this planet, who takes the music back to where it belongs,” says legendary music icon, Quincy Jones.

Within the past few years, a just-turned-16-year-old guitar sensation, Andreas Varady, has risen to the foreground of the jazz guitar arena. Andreas has played an impressive list of shows including: Bray Jazz Festival, Festival Django Reinhardt, Samoise, Sligo Jazz Festival, Cork Jazz Festival, Glasgow Jazz Festival, Derry Jazz Fest, Festival da Jazz, International Guitar Festival Santo Tirso, Newton Arts Guitar Festival, Riga Jazz Festival, Aalen Jazz Festival, Freiburf Jazz Festival, Ballidehob Jazz Fest, Innishowen Jazz Fest, Montreux Jazz Festival, New Caledonie Gypsy Jazz Fest, Dusseldorf Jazz Rally, Scareborough Jazz Fest, Rheingau Music Festival, Savannah Jazz Festival, International Wiehler Jazz, Wigan Jazz Festival, Northside Music Festival, Zelt Music Festival, Ronnie Scotts, Pserov Jazz Festival, Oslo Jazz Fest, Bolzano Jazz Festival, Clifden Jazz Fest, Dingle Jazz Fest, Doonbeg Jazz Fest, Bay Jazz Fest, and others.

Andreas started his ascent to mastering jazz guitar at a very young age. Born of Hungarian Gypsy descent, Andreas was raised in a small town in Slovakia and first began to play the guitar at four years old, tutored by his father, Bandi. Andreas was taught to learn songs by ear; his first tune the “Blue Bossa” jazz standard, and from then on he has continued to pursue the world of jazz music. Andreas has idolized his guitar hero George Benson, and from his early years has often been compared to the guitar legend.

Andreas began to explore sharing his talent when his family moved to Ireland in 2007. At just 9 years old, Andreas would perform for the passerby’s of Limerick and Cork Ireland, busking on the streets. People were drawn to young Varady for his talent at such a young age and his lovable performing persona. As an outgoing and determined youth, Andreas reached out to Irish drummer and producer David Lyttle who agreed to meet with him. After the introduction, Lyttle loved him and began featuring Andreas in his band. Lyttle also produced Andreas’ first album Questions in 2010.

At this time, Andreas began touring and playing shows at various Jazz festivals throughout Europe. In 2011, at 13 years old, he became the youngest headlining artist at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London. Andreas became featured in shows with Martin Taylor, Tommy Emmanuel, and Louis Stewart. He appeared on the front cover of Guitar Player magazine. In the summer of 2012, Andreas had the opportunity to play at the world famous International Montreux Jazz Festival where he performed in front of festival founder Claude Nobs and record producer and music legend Quincy Jones. A few months after the festival, Quincy signed Andreas to his management company.

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16
Interview

Andreas Varady: Guitar Wizard On The Rise

Read "Andreas Varady: Guitar Wizard On The Rise" reviewed by R.J. DeLuke


Listening to Andreas Varady play guitar, it's difficult to guess his age. Its not just the fleet fingers across the fret board, the subtle bending of notes and the dexterity. Many young players display those features. He possesses a warm tone, a mature style with free-flowing ideas that go to interesting places. His style is mature and he's a teller of stories. Mature and strong enough to impress Quincy Jones, who brought the guitarist into his management company ...

3
Album Review

Andreas Varady: The Quest

Read "The Quest" reviewed by Geno Thackara


Early-career hype can be a peculiar mix of blessing and curse. Andreas Varady certainly deserves the praise he gets, and one could hardly ask for a more generous mentor and endorser than Quincy Jones ("It's not every day that you see a 15-year-old kid playing like George Benson!"). Pre-teen virtuosity and study of influences, however, inevitably have to give way to developing one's own voice. Old and new listeners alike should have no worries on that score here. With his ...

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5

Recording

Quincy Jones Guitar Protege Andreas Varady "The Quest" On Resonance out April 6

Quincy Jones Guitar Protege Andreas Varady "The Quest" On Resonance out April 6

Source: Jason Byrne, Red Cat Publicity

The Quest is the long-awaited third album from Andreas Varady, a protégé of the legendary Quincy Jones! Featuring Varady's father, bassist Bandi and brother, drummer Adrian, plus pianist Benito Gonzalez and saxophonist Radovan Tariska CD & Digital Editions Available on April 6, 2018 Resonance Records is proud to announce the release of The Quest, the third recording from twenty-year old guitar virtuoso, Andreas Varady. With the release of Questions (2010) and his eponymous CD in 2014, the native of Slovakia, ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Bernstein in Vienna

Origin Records
2024

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The Quest

Resonance Records
2018

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Andreas Varady

Verve Records
2014

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Somewhere

From: Bernstein in Vienna
By Andreas Varady

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