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JOHNNY VARRO SOLO: THE TWO OF US
ARBORS PIANO SERIES VOLUME 13
Notes by Charles Champlin
Johnny Varro, late of Brooklyn and now of Florida and the larger world, is
one of the best popular pianists now performing. He is both a solo artist and
an ensemble player and is not less than superb in either guise. He has been a
fixture and a star at the Labor Day weekend jazz festival in Los Angeles from
the beginning. Over the years he has assembled a large and devout following
who listen to him with rapt attention.
He is the sparkplug of the Los Angeles gathering over Labor Day, and indeed
at every festival he works. His rock-steady beat as the anchor of the rhythm
section gives the ad hoc ensembles he plays with a propulsive excitement that
is remarkable and crowd-drawing. His solo turns, as on classic special numbers like Jitterbug Waltz are tours de force of Johnny’s driving rhythm and
virtuosity.
His style is marked by glittering runs and arpeggios up and down the keyboard. He is a ceaselessly imaginative improviser and he is also famous for a
left hand whose striding power can seem to make the piano rock. His style is
all his own and yet at moments he will remind you of such earlier masters as
Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson.
Varro plays slow ballads with a quiet dignity that is deeply respectful to the
composers. He can swing with the best of them, giving any group a kind of
rhythmic center which brings all the playing into focus. As a listener, it has
always seemed to me it must be a pleasure for the sidemen to have Johnny
not only as their timekeeper, but as their guiding spirit, propulsive leader and
chorus by chorus inspiration.
As a solo performer, as he is on this remarkable album, Johnny’s great talent
shines through clearly. He is lyrical and endlessly inventive. The fine tunes
from the American songbook inspire him to new creative heights that add
new depth and luster to the great songs from the American archive. A fresh
pleasure here is Johnny’s plying of his fine new song, The Two Of Us.
– Charles Champlin, September, 2003
(Charles Champlin is the retired longtime arts editor, Los Angeles Times and a
frequent writer on jazz subjects.)
Johnny Varro Comments About His Tune Selection
If I Love Again. A good solid tune. I first played this when I was with
Bobby Hackett’s quartet in 1953 at the Grandview Inn in Columbus, Ohio.
He wrote out the changes for me and that is how I learned it.
Lullaby of Birdland. Just a great tune that begins in minor and ends in
major. Not played too much at parties and festivals.
This Time the Dream’s on Me. This tune has been laying dormant for
years. It is beginning to come out of the closet. A real good tune. Diminished
chord lends for creative moments.
I Could Write a Book. A great tune by Rodgers and Hart. Need I say more?
Yesterday. A Beatle’s tune. One of the most recorded tunes ever structured
in an AABA mode.
Here, There, and Everywhere. I first heard this song played by Benny
Goodman on an afternoon TV show. I had no idea where this tune came
from and when I realized it was a Beatles tune (also in the AABA mode) I
tracked it down and learned it and finally recorded it.
Gone With the Wind. Always a pleasure to play. Moves from E flat to G
smoothly and then back again. Fun tune.
The Two of Us. Written for my two grandkids, Rachel and Hannah. Also
depicted grossly by the two me’s displayed on the cover design.
Lullaby of the Leaves. First heard this tune during my introduction to Art
Tatum. It blew my mind and I wouldn’t play the tune for years.
Summer Me, Winter Me/Pieces of Dreams. Michel Legrand Medley.
Michel is one of the great composers over the last quarter century. Tunes need
no elaboration. The melodies speak for themselves.
The Pearls. An early 78rpm record I listened to when I was a kid had Jelly
Roll Morton playing this tune. The walking bass line at the onset of the
chords fascinated me. To this day I have not been able to figure what it has to
do with pearls but it works within the tune so that’s all that matters.
A Sleeping Bee. Another ignored tune until recently. Now getting more
play. It was introduced to me by Carol Taber, when I was playing at Gatsby’s
Restaurant in Brentwood, California.
Where Is Love. From Oliver
Oliver, a last minute inspiration; really a beautiful
song.
Valse. A song by Claus Ogerman based on a theme by Johann Sebastian
Bach. Fun to play. Not played too often by other musicians.
Blame It On My Youth. Just finished reading Levant’s biography Music On
My Mind and just had to include his most popular work. Good tune.
Green Dolphin Street. Written for the movies. This beautiful tune has
become one of the great jazz standards of all time.
A Room With a View. Never heard this tune until Bobby Hackett taught
it to me. As in the tune If I Love Again, I was introduced to it at the
Grandview Inn.
Born To Be Blue. Mel Tormé has written some fine music and this is one of
his best.
Here’s That Rainy Day. Another great standard; can be played in any style.
Falling In Love With Love. Written for an operetta, it has become a great
jazz standard recorded by many artists.
For All We Know. A pretty and sad song to close off this set of tunes. Hope
you enjoyed this time spent with some great melodies.
Best wishes,
Johnny Varro
THE CREDITS
Produced by:
Recorded:
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by:
Photo of the elder Johnny Varro:
Cover Design:
Rachel and Mat Domber for Arbors Records, Inc.
Feb. 4-5, 2003 at Audio Images, Bradenton, Florida
Garry Baldassari
Walter Heuning
Luke Melton
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Johnny Varro Solo: The Two of Us
ARCD 19292
Arbors Piano Series Volume 13
“On this remarkable album, Johnny’s great talent as a solo performer shines through clearly.
He is lyrical and endlessly inventive. The fine tunes from the American songbook inspire him
to new creative heights that add new depth and luster to the great songs from the American
archive.” Charles Champlin, the retired longtime arts editor, Los Angeles Times and a frequent
writer on jazz subjects.
1. If I Love Again
(Jack Murray, Ben Oakland) (2:38)
2. Lullaby of Birdland (George David Weiss,
George Shearing) (3:14)
3. This Time the Dream’s on Me
(Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen) (2:41)
4. I Could Write a Book (Lorenz Hart,
Richard Rodgers) (2:33)
5. Beatles Medley: Yesterday (John Lennon, Paul
McCartney) / Here, There and Everywhere
(John Lennon, Paul McCartney) (3:59)
6. Gone With the Wind
(Herb Magidson, Allie Wrobel) (2:37)
7. The Two of Us (Johnny Varro) (2:48)
8. Lullaby of the Leaves
(Joe Young, Bernice Petkere) (3:02)
9. Michel Legrand Medley: Summer Me,
Winter Me (Marilyn and Alan Bergman,
Michel Legrand) /Pieces of Dreams ((Marilyn
and Alan Bergman, Michel Legrand) (3:13)
10. The Pearls (Jelly Roll Morton) (3:14)
11. A Sleeping Bee
(Truman Capote, Harold Arlen) (3:37)
12. Where Is Love? (Lionel Bart) (3:08)
13. Valse (Based on Theme by J. S. Bach)
(Claus Ogerman) (2:43)
14. Blame It on My Youth
(Edward Heyman, Oscar Levant) (3:42)
15. Green Dolphin Street
(Bronislaw Kaper) (3:41)
16. A Room With a View
(Al Stillman, E. A. Swan) (2:57)
17. Born to Be Blue
(Robert Wells, Mel Tormé) (3:38)
18. Here’s That Rainy Day
(Johnny Burke, James Van Heusen) (3:18)
19. Falling in Love With Love
(Lorenz hart, Richard, Rodgers) (3:02)
20. For All We Know
(Sam M. Lewis, J. Fred Coote) (3:39)
Johnny Varro:
Solo piano
Produced by ARBORS RECORDS, INC.
© 2003 Arbors Records, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable law.