On Jacob Varmus' debut recording he proves to be an exciting trumpeter, composer and bandleader. Hailing from San Francisco by way of the University of Iowa, Varmus originally planned to be a poet but was also drawn to the music of jazz trumpeters, of whom Chet Baker and Woody Shaw were early favorites. He has worked with local guitarist/bandleader Steve Grismore, gigged with Tom Harrell and studied with Iowa trumpeter Paul Smoker. Varmus placed first in the International Trumpet Guild's 1995 jazz competition in Iowa.
All The Things We Still Can Be is a showcase for Varmus' original tunes, plus the Adair/Dennis piece "Everything Happens To Me." This may or may not be a nod towards Chet Baker, especially when Varmus adds a vocal to this track. The playing by his group is mainstream bebop, with the leader's warm trumpet leading the way. On the opening selections, Toru Dodo's piano playing is hardly heard since guitarist Nate Radley provides the comping as well as some well-defined single-string solos, notably on "All The Things We Still Can Be" and "Untimely Intrusion." On "What Is This Thing We Still Can Be?" Varmus and the group cook, with the trumpeter's round tone featured prominently.
Track Listing
Ecstatic Little Porpoises; All The Things We Still Can Be; Untimely Instrusion; Everything Happens To Me; Country Dave Tex Mex; What Is This Thing We Still Can Be?; Why Don't You Dance?; Perpetual Motion.
Jacob Varmus: trumpet, cornet, vocal; Nate Radley: guitar (1,2,3,5,7,8); Toru Dodo: piano; Yoshi Waki: bass; Brian Woodruff: drums; Chris Komer: French Horn (8).
All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.
You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
We sent a confirmation message to . Look for it, then click the link to activate your account. If you don’t see the email in your inbox, check your spam, bulk or promotions folder.