About Adrian
Born on December 8 2001, into a Hungarian Gypsy family in Rimavská Sobota, Slovakia, Adrian Varady has emerged as a powerful new voice in the jazz world. His musical journey began at age 8 with a keyboard gifted by his father, but it was the drums that truly captured his imagination. Self-taught and driven, Adrian honed his skills on a small blue sparkle drum kit and quickly made waves, winning his first concert at a jazz festival in Frankfurt at just 9 years old. His international debut came in 2013 at the 47th Montreux Jazz Festival, where Quincy Jones praised his exceptional drumming.
Quincy Jones on Adrian Varady
“I can’t wait to see him when he gets a few more years so he gets his height up so he can really see over the drums, y’know? Because he’s so little—but he’s so good, y’know? Catches every accent they play so subtle—and that’s what a drummer’s built for.”
Career Highlights
Since then, Adrian has toured extensively across the U.S. and Central Europe as part of the Varady Trio (with Bandi and Andreas Varady), performing at iconic venues including Blue Note NY, Porgy & Bess, Jazz à Vienne, North Sea Jazz, Riga Ritmi Festival, Duc des Lombards, Pizza Express, Ronnie Scott’s (London), and San Javier in Spain. Highlights include opening for Gregory Porter at CitySounds and for George Benson twice at Trap in Washington, D.C.
Adrian has collaborated with renowned musicians such as Jean Toussaint, Danny Grissett, Doug Weiss, Patty Austin, Dirty Loops, Alfredo Rodriguez, Justin Kauflin, Nikki Yanofsky, Emily Bear, Paulinho da Costa, Peter Erskine, Benito Gonzalez, Radovan Tariška, Big Chief Donald Harrison, Jonathan Blake, Michael Rodriguez, Dezron Douglas, Ben Tiberio, Alan Bartus, Maja Jaku, Renato Chico, George Benson, Gregory Porter, and many more.
In addition to his live performances, Adrian has contributed to several notable recordings, including The Quest (Resonance Records, 2018) and Sunrise (January 2024), and was recently featured on Maja Jaku’s 2025 album recorded at Bunker Studios in New York—sharing drumming duties with Jonathan Blake, contributing percussion, and composing two tracks. He also served as the band’s conductor during the session.
A former Global Gumbo Artist, Modern Drummer Magazine Artist, and affiliated with Qwest Records and Resonance Records, Adrian has firmly established his place in the global jazz scene. Mentors such as Maja Jaku and the esteemed drummer Howard Curtis have played pivotal roles in his development.
Now based in Vienna, Adrian continues to immerse himself in the local jazz scene, pushing boundaries and inspiring the next wave of jazz innovation.
Live Performance History
● Montreux 47th Jazz Festival, Switzerland – 2013
● Opening for George Benson at San Javier Spain – 2014
● Opening for George Benson at Wolf Trap Washington DC – 2014
● Ronnie Scotts London – Varady trio – 2018
● Sligo Jazz Festival with Varady trio featuring Jean Toussiant – 2019
● Opening for Gregory Porter at CitySound, Bratislava – 2018
● Varady trio featuring Danny Grissett at CitySounds Bratislava – 2020
● Jazz a Vienne, Varady trio, Vienne France – 2014
● North Sea Jazz, Varady trio, Rotterdam Netherlands – 2014
● Riga Ritmi Festival, Varady trio, Latvia – 2013
● DUC Lombards Jazz club, Varady trio – Paris France – 2014
● Porgy & Bess, Varady trio, Vienna Austria – 2014
● Festival International DeJAZZZ De Montreal, Varady trio – 2014
● St Moritz Miles Davis lounge festival da jazz, Varady trio – 2014
● Bratislava Jazz days Slovakia, Varady trio – 2016
● DublinJazz Festival, Ireland – Varady trio – 2015
● Kozlov Club, Moscow, Russia – Varady trio – 2019
● GES Club Kosice, Varady trio – 2018
● BIX jazz club Stuttgart Germany, Varady trio – 2015
● Jazz Fasching Club, Sweden, Varady trio – 2015
● Benedetto Guitar trio, Featuring Howard Paul, Jimmy Bruno & Varady
brothers – Sandy Point Ballroom, New Jersey – 2018
● Blue Note Jazz Club, New York – 2015
● Vienna Jazz Festival – Varady Trio – 2015
● Andreas Varady Trio & Alfredo Rodriguez Trio – Festival des enfants du jazz – 2015