April Varner Quartet
Zinc Bar82 West 3rd Street, New York 10012
April Varner brings her quartet to Zinc Bar for a CD-release performance. The Toledo-born, New York-based vocalist is joined by Will Hill III on piano, Aaron Matson on guitar, Eytan Schillinger-Hyman on bass and Max Marsillo on drums. Varner’s new album Ella, released earlier in 2026, takes on Ella Fitzgerald hits across her career and was produced by Ulysses Owens Jr.; the night places that work in the context of her American Songbook and vocalese-focused repertoire.
Varner won the 2023 International Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition, received an honorable mention in the 2024 ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Competition, and was named a 2025 DownBeat Critics Poll “Rising Star Female Vocalist of the Year.” DownBeat has praised her “impressive range,” while the venue describes her as a “bebop technician and a contemporary storyteller.” Her 2024 debut, April by April Varner, received four stars in DownBeat and appeared on its Best Albums of 2024 list, as well as The New York City Jazz Record’s year-end selections. Her collaborators include Kurt Elling, Jane Monheit, John Pizzarelli, Ulysses Owens Jr., Theo Bleckmann, Nicole Zuraitis and Russell Malone.
Zinc Bar offers a richly textured experience where the past and present of jazz converge in a single, dimly lit room adorned with Art Deco details like velvet upholstery, polished brass, and a Parisian zinc bar. The venue’s layout centers around a close-up stage and a vintage bar, creating a setting where the music is both the focus and a shared journey. Patrons can expect expertly crafted cocktails alongside performances that range from world-class jazz to vibrant Brazilian and African rhythms, often featuring multiple sets and occasional late-night jams. The seating is lounge-style, encouraging attentive listening rather than casual chatter, making it a place to immerse fully in the sound. This is a space where history lingers, once hosting legends like Billie Holiday and Thelonious Monk, now continuing their legacy with a sophisticated yet welcoming vibe.