J. Vargas

Born and raised just outside of NYC in central NJ, Jesse has worked internationally as a music director, arranger, and pianist. He is recognized across the country as music director/arranger for pop singer Clay Aiken. His work with Mr. Aiken has spanned from conducting Christmas concerts since 2004, to assembling, arranging, and orchestrating his latest summer symphonic tour. Jesse has and continues to work extensively in the musical theatre world as well. Music Directions credits include: Saved (Playwrights Horizons); Bare-A Pop Opera (Off-Broadway, Cast Recording); Dreamgirls (Critically acclaimed Philadelphia revival); Bright Lights, Big City; Barry Manilow’s Copacabana; The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Detroit-Assistant); A Chorus Line; Guys & Dolls; A Little Night Music; Little Shop of Horrors; as well as readings of new musicals Sunfish (NAMT); Rooms; Hurricane; Up In The Air (by Henry Krieger & Bill Russell), and Piece. Orchestration/Arrangement credits include: Glory Days (Also Music Supervisor-Signature Theatre/Broadway);The Ritz (Broadway); Asphalt Beach; Bright Lights, Big City; The J.A.P. Chronicles; Pippin (Goodspeed/Tour-Dance Arrangements); Junie B. Jones (Theatreworks); Glory Days (also supervisor-Signature Theatre); Chess (2003 Concert); HAIR (2004 Concert and Grammy Nom. Recording); Seth Rudetsky’s Broadway 101; BCEFA Easter Bonnet Opening (since 2003); and others. He also arranged and orchestrated a new CD, “Dreaming Wide Awake”, a song compilation by song-writer Scott Alan. As an accompanist Jesse has had the pleasure of playing for accomplished Broadway performers that include Brian Stokes Mitchell; Audra McDonald; Julia Murney; Sutton Foster; Norm Lewis; Liz Callaway; Ana Gasteyer; and many more. Jesse will be conducting the first national tour of XANADU iat LaJolla Playhouse in San Diego and the Drury Lane Theater in Chicago, through February 2009. “Rooms” by Paul Scott Goodman will be premiering Off-Broadway in November 2008, featuring musical arrangements and orchestrations by Jesse. And finally, he will be providing live orchestrations for “Peep Show”, a new Las Vegas burlesque show directed by Jerry Mitchell in spring of 2009.