DOORS @6PM/8:30PM, SHOWTIME @7PM/9PM

Award Winning NYC-based jazz vocalist and composer, April Varner, has often been described as a “direct, authentic singer…”, demonstrating “vocal dynamism… authentic jazz phrasing…electrifying numbers…” and possessing a “profound command of deep scat and vocalese…” (Marilyn Lester, The New York City Jazz Record).

Recognizable by her curly red hair and voice of an “old soul”, April brings her listeners to another place- one long ago when the giants of jazz were still gracing the stage. Amassing several viral videos on her social media of her challenging solo transcriptions, cleverly crafted vocaleses and acapella renditions of the Great American Songbook, April’s voice can fit itself into a myriad of different molds.

At the age of 26, 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 and most recently received a 2024 Honorable Mention Award in the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Competition. The release of her debut full-length album, entitled “April by April Varner”, will be released on June 28th, 2024 on Cellar Live Record Label. This genre-busting collection of all April-titled songs was produced by Grammy-Award winning drummer, producer and educator, Ulysses Owens Jr.

THE BAND:

April Varner - Vocals Caelan Cardello - Piano Jonathon Muir-Cotton - Bass Michael J. Reed - Drums

$25 cover SHOWTIMES ARE AT 7:30PM & 9:30PM FOR THIS PERFORMANCE. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.

“while drummer Michael J. Reed’s thunderous solo imbues the ethereal piece with a visceral earthiness. ” – Hrayr Attarian — All About Jazz, 2023

“He puts so much personality into what he does,” Bearden said. “It’s super cool to see. He was very creative with a lot of ways he did things. There was a very large variety and options and textures he used. He was very creative and energetic; it was almost humorous.” – Audrey Bergey — The Valley Vanguard, 2022

“He has the stuff of a great drummer — the feel and knack for rhythm — and appears to have a bright future as a composer ahead of him, too.” – Tom Henry — The Blade, 2021

Innovative Jazz drummer extraordinaire, Michael J. Reed is a native of Toledo, OH, currently based in East Lansing, MI. Michael maintains an active career performing nationally and internationally with artists such as Rodney Whitaker, Patrice Rushen, Jazzmeia Horn, Wycliffe Gordon, Dwight Adams, Michael Dease, Tim Ries' Rolling Stones Project, Tanya Darby, Walter White, Rick Margitza, Steve Davis, Mark Whitfield, Melissa Aldana, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Sachal Vasandani, Damion Sneed, Karen Clark Sheard, Ramona Collins, and many others.

With a sophomore CD release, Remove All Fear, Michael is well on his way to becoming a stronghold in the music industry. His first album, entitled A Walk of Perspective, was released in 2018. Michael has recorded with Rodney Whitaker, Xavier Davis, Margherita Fava, Chloe and the Steel Strings, the Gazebo, and many others.

Ticket info at cliffbells.com/shows/

$25 cover SHOWTIMES ARE AT 7:30PM & 9:30PM FOR THIS PERFORMANCE. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.

“while drummer Michael J. Reed’s thunderous solo imbues the ethereal piece with a visceral earthiness. ” – Hrayr Attarian — All About Jazz, 2023

“He puts so much personality into what he does,” Bearden said. “It’s super cool to see. He was very creative with a lot of ways he did things. There was a very large variety and options and textures he used. He was very creative and energetic; it was almost humorous.” – Audrey Bergey — The Valley Vanguard, 2022

“He has the stuff of a great drummer — the feel and knack for rhythm — and appears to have a bright future as a composer ahead of him, too.” – Tom Henry — The Blade, 2021

Innovative Jazz drummer extraordinaire, Michael J. Reed is a native of Toledo, OH, currently based in East Lansing, MI. Michael maintains an active career performing nationally and internationally with artists such as Rodney Whitaker, Patrice Rushen, Jazzmeia Horn, Wycliffe Gordon, Dwight Adams, Michael Dease, Tim Ries' Rolling Stones Project, Tanya Darby, Walter White, Rick Margitza, Steve Davis, Mark Whitfield, Melissa Aldana, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Sachal Vasandani, Damion Sneed, Karen Clark Sheard, Ramona Collins, and many others.

With a sophomore CD release, Remove All Fear, Michael is well on his way to becoming a stronghold in the music industry. His first album, entitled A Walk of Perspective, was released in 2018. Michael has recorded with Rodney Whitaker, Xavier Davis, Margherita Fava, Chloe and the Steel Strings, the Gazebo, and many others.

Ticket info at cliffbells.com/shows/

$25 cover SHOWTIMES ARE AT 7:30PM & 9:30PM FOR THIS PERFORMANCE. Doors open at 5pm for dinner. Seating begins at 6pm for “Dinner & a Show”. The second show starts seating at 9pm.

“while drummer Michael J. Reed’s thunderous solo imbues the ethereal piece with a visceral earthiness. ” – Hrayr Attarian — All About Jazz, 2023

“He puts so much personality into what he does,” Bearden said. “It’s super cool to see. He was very creative with a lot of ways he did things. There was a very large variety and options and textures he used. He was very creative and energetic; it was almost humorous.” – Audrey Bergey — The Valley Vanguard, 2022

“He has the stuff of a great drummer — the feel and knack for rhythm — and appears to have a bright future as a composer ahead of him, too.” – Tom Henry — The Blade, 2021

Innovative Jazz drummer extraordinaire, Michael J. Reed is a native of Toledo, OH, currently based in East Lansing, MI. Michael maintains an active career performing nationally and internationally with artists such as Rodney Whitaker, Patrice Rushen, Jazzmeia Horn, Wycliffe Gordon, Dwight Adams, Michael Dease, Tim Ries' Rolling Stones Project, Tanya Darby, Walter White, Rick Margitza, Steve Davis, Mark Whitfield, Melissa Aldana, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Sachal Vasandani, Damion Sneed, Karen Clark Sheard, Ramona Collins, and many others.

With a sophomore CD release, Remove All Fear, Michael is well on his way to becoming a stronghold in the music industry. His first album, entitled A Walk of Perspective, was released in 2018. Michael has recorded with Rodney Whitaker, Xavier Davis, Margherita Fava, Chloe and the Steel Strings, the Gazebo, and many others.

Ticket info at cliffbells.com/shows/

$25 cover Doors open at 4pm for dinner. Showtimes are at 5:30p & 7:30p for this performance. Seating for the shows begins at 4pm for the first show & 7pm for the second show. “while drummer Michael J. Reed’s thunderous solo imbues the ethereal piece with a visceral earthiness. ” – Hrayr Attarian — All About Jazz, 2023

“He puts so much personality into what he does,” Bearden said. “It’s super cool to see. He was very creative with a lot of ways he did things. There was a very large variety and options and textures he used. He was very creative and energetic; it was almost humorous.” – Audrey Bergey — The Valley Vanguard, 2022

“He has the stuff of a great drummer — the feel and knack for rhythm — and appears to have a bright future as a composer ahead of him, too.” – Tom Henry — The Blade, 2021

Innovative Jazz drummer extraordinaire, Michael J. Reed is a native of Toledo, OH, currently based in East Lansing, MI. Michael maintains an active career performing nationally and internationally with artists such as Rodney Whitaker, Patrice Rushen, Jazzmeia Horn, Wycliffe Gordon, Dwight Adams, Michael Dease, Tim Ries' Rolling Stones Project, Tanya Darby, Walter White, Rick Margitza, Steve Davis, Mark Whitfield, Melissa Aldana, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Sachal Vasandani, Damion Sneed, Karen Clark Sheard, Ramona Collins, and many others.

With a sophomore CD release, Remove All Fear, Michael is well on his way to becoming a stronghold in the music industry. His first album, entitled A Walk of Perspective, was released in 2018. Michael has recorded with Rodney Whitaker, Xavier Davis, Margherita Fava, Chloe and the Steel Strings, the Gazebo, and many others.

Ticket info at cliffbells.com/shows/