About

TOM VARNER is internationally known as one of the top living pioneers of jazz and improvised music on the French horn and as an inventive and passionate composer for his ensembles, from duos to big bands. From his first recording in 1980 with Fred Hopkins, Billy Hart, and Ed Jackson, to projects in 2021, over the years Tom has worked with such players as Steve Wilson, Tony Malaby, Lee Konitz, Mark Feldman, Kenny Barron, Cameron Brown, Bobby Previte, Tom Rainey, and Matt Wilson. Tom’s recent Seattle nonet project, Nine Surprises, was released in 2014, and there are four new releases planned for 2022—duos, trios, quartets, and the 9-piece Sound Vespers for brass, percussion, and field recordings. Tom has 18 recordings as a leader and plays on over 70 others, including recordings with Steve Lacy, George Gruntz, Jim McNeely, Miles Davis with Quincy Jones, and John Zorn.

Tom has been awarded residencies at the MacDowell, Blue Mountain, and Centrum arts colonies, and grants from the NEA, Doris Duke Foundation/Chamber Music America, 4Culture, and the Jack Straw Cultural Center.

After living in New York City for 26 years, Tom moved with his family to Seattle in fall 2005. Since his move, he has played at the Vancouver, Earshot, and Bumbershoot festivals, the Good Shepherd Center, the Seattle Art Museum, the Royal Room, Café Racer, and Tula’s, as a leader and as a sideman, alongside many Seattle players such as Eric Barber, Mark Taylor, Phil Sparks, Stuart Dempster, Hans Teuber, Wayne Horvitz, Kate Olsen, James Falzone, Neil Welch, Thomas Marriott, Steve Peters, the Seattle Phonographer’s Union, and Jim Knapp.

Since 2012, Tom has taught at Cornish College of the Arts, and is now Associate Professor of Music.