Album Notes

Deva and Frank Varela's music exposes their personal expressions through emotion and style. Their sounds are spontaneous and lilting, evoking creative images and feelings of freedom. Their inspiration can be found in the soulful music of the 20th century including Stevie Wonder, John Coltrane, The Beatles, and Donny Hathaway. They bond through their never ending love for music, humor and their son, Lucian. They collaborate together creating music so fresh and real that any listener can enjoy it.
Originally from Springfield, Massachusetts, Frank Varela attended Berklee College of Music. He performed with such jazz greats as Jimmy McGriff and Larry Coryell as well as bluegrass legends Tony Triska and Bill Keith. Frank's recent recordings include original compositions and amazing guitar playing on collaborative efforts with groups such as Fretwater, Mystery Feet, and The Zywacks.
Deva Varela was born Deva (her given name) Mariani in Springfield, Massachusetts, the daughter of two musicians. Deva's first public performance took place in when she was eight years old singing "What Child is This" in a church pageant, but she's been singing jazz standards since she was old enough to stand next to her father and read the words from his fake books. In her youth she played euphonium in symphonic band, valve trombone in swing band, flute in marching band and performed in Massachusetts All State concerts both on euphonium and in the choir. She was classically trained as a vocalist and studied with great coaches such as Gregory Wrinn, Ruth Eckberg and Jackie Jarret. Her skills as both a vocalist and musician allow her to apply an extraordinary, horn-like approach to vocal improvisation.