New York City is a long way from tiny San Ygnacio, Texas -
not only measured in miles (around 2,000, for the record) but also in
temperament. Born and raised in Houston, bassist Marcos Varela nonetheless
traces his roots back to the historic Texas town where his family has lived on
the same ranch since at least the 1750s. Based in New York for the last 12
years, Varela takes stock of how far he's come on his leader debut, San
Ygnacio, due to be released March 18 on Origin Records.
Drawing on collaborators from throughout his time in New
York, Varela assembles a stand-out cast of veterans and peers. The album's core
rhythm section is composed of two jazz giants: pianist George Cables, a key
mentor, and drummer Billy Hart, one of Varela's earliest employers. They're
joined by another longtime employer, trombonist Clifton Anderson, as well as
two of Varela's most gifted contemporaries, saxophonists Dayna Stephens and
Logan Richardson. On two tracks, Varela features his one-time collective
quartet with up-and-coming players Arnold Lee (alto, son of bassist/composer
Bill Lee and half-brother of director Spike Lee), Eden Ladin (piano) and Kush
Abadey (drums).
Varela is a graduate of Houston's renowned High School for
the Performing & Visual Arts, where his fellow alumni include Jason Moran,
Robert Glasper, Eric Harland, Chris Dave, and Beyoncé. He arrived in NYC to
continue his studies at the New School, leading to opportunities to perform
with a wide range of artists including Cables, Hart, Anderson, Moran, Geri
Allen, The Last Poets, the Mingus Big Band, Kendrick Scott, Billy Harper and
Tyshawn Sorey, among countless others. He has also composed music for several
film and TV projects, including director Domenica Cameron-Scorsese's film
"Roots in Water."
"This record is a culmination of my New York
experience," Varela says of San Ygnacio. "It features some of my
favorite people to play with and recalls some of the positive experiences I've
had during my New York days."
Legendary bassist Ron Carter contributed the album's liner
notes, where he writes that Varela's "tone, choice of notes and
compositions will place his playing and name on the list of bassists to be
heard." A hero turned mentor, Carter is just one of the jazz elders who
have taken note of Varela's talents and encouraged the bassist along his path.
While still in college, he was invited to join longtime Dizzy Gillespie drummer
Charlie Persip's big band. Around the same time, Hart included Varela in a
sextet of young players that also featured rising stars Theo Croker, Sullivan
Fortner, and Irwin Hall.
"Billy encouraged us to challenge him and keep him
young, and then he wanted to impart his experience and knowledge onto us as
well," Varela says. "It was a great learning experience."
Three of the tracks on San Ygnacio come from the repertoire
of Hart's sextet: "Pepper" and "Picturesque" are both
George Mraz compositions, while "Lullaby for Imke" is a gentle ballad
that the drummer recorded on a 2006 quartet release, presented here in a new
arrangement by pianist Ezra Weiss. "Picturesque" is the album's sole
trio piece, with Varela and Cables doubling up on the angular melody, while the
brisk "Pepper" is highlighted by the pairing of Dayna Stephens' tenor
and Varela's arco playing.
The album opens with its only standard, Cables' bold
arrangement of "I Should Care." Varela says, "Especially on a
debut record, the jazz community wants to hear you play over a standard and
know that you have that ability. If you can't play a standard, it negates your
jazz legitimacy. Besides, I've spent a lot of time playing that music, I loved
George's arrangement, and I wanted something that everyone could get together
and be creative on immediately."
Varela's "Colinas de Santa Maria" is named for his
family's ranch in San Ygnacio, which has been in his family's possession since
at least a mid-18th century Spanish land grant. While he grew up in Houston,
Varela spent plenty of time visiting family at the ranch and enjoying the
town's unchanged Spanish architecture. He evokes a sense of nostalgia for that
time and landscape, while saxophonist Arnold Lee contributes a vivid, wistful
solo. The same quartet, whose members Varela continues to play with in other
contexts, returns on Eden Ladin's simmering "Red on Planet Pluto."
The leader takes the spotlight on "Mitsuru," a
bass feature composed by Anderson, who often used the tune to feature Varela in
the trombonist's own band. Anderson also contributes and plays on the mid-tempo
swinger "Sister Gemini." Cables, who Varela met through the auspices
of Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center, wrote the
intoxicating waltz "Looking For the Light," which Varela calls
"one of my favorite George pieces - it really encourages you to play
lyrically."
The album concludes with Varela's "Where the Wild
Things Are," a modern burner named for his favorite childhood book.
Following a darkly atmospheric introduction, the piece erupts into a bristling
melody, finally leading into a raucous solo showcase for Billy Hart. The tune
is the prime example of Varela's approach to bridging the generations
represented in his band. "I wanted to take the veterans out of their
comfort zone," he explains. "I wanted to flip the script a little bit
and try something different, have them be adventurous and play some songs they
wouldn't normally be heard playing. I wanted to push people in different
directions to create a new sound."
An intriguing mix of personalities and influences,
generations and sounds, San Ygnacio traces Marcos Varela's journey from Houston
to New York, a trek rich with experiences and opportunities. It's a striking
debut that points the way toward even more music - and miles - to come.
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