{{Short description|Indian electric bass player (born 1961)}} {{Use Indian English|date=September 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Jayen Varma | birth_name = Kerala Varma Jaya Kumar | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1961|2|3}} | origin = Tripunithura, Cochin Kerala, India | instrument = Bass guitar, Mridangam, Drums | genre = Ragazz, Funk, Fusion, Experimental | occupation = Bassist | years_active = 1981–present | website = {{URL|http://www.jayenvarma.net}} }}
'''Jayen Varma''' (born 3 February 1961) is an Indian electric bass player.<ref>[https://www.thehindu.com/arts/On-the-trail-of-a-bass-guitarist/article16554592.ece On the trail of a bass guitarist] The Hindu</ref><ref>[https://radioandmusic.com/features/top-bassists-in-india Top Bassists in India] Radioandmusic.com</ref><ref>[http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-slapping-the-guitar-1268169 Slapping the guitar] Daily News and Analysis</ref><ref>[http://forbassplayersonly.com/interview-jayen-varma Interview] For Bass Players Only</ref> He is known for developing tabla and mridangam style finger technique on bass guitar to play slap bass.<ref>Interview {{Cite web |url=http://www.gibsonguitar.in/News-Lifestyle/Features/hi-in/Jayen-Varma-Talks-Bootsy-Bollywood-and-Bass.aspx |title=Welcome to nginx |access-date=9 September 2011 |archive-date=17 February 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217213941/http://www.gibsonguitar.in/News-Lifestyle/Features/hi-in/Jayen-Varma-Talks-Bootsy-Bollywood-and-Bass.aspx |url-status=bot: unknown }} Gibson guitars</ref><ref>[https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/indias-leading-independent-musicians-show-how-to-think-and-live-music/article25297042.ece Teachings of the sensei] The Hindu</ref><ref>Experimental Artiste {{Cite web |url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/the-experimental-artiste/155410 |title=The experimental artiste |date=19 February 2012 |access-date=19 October 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065458/http://www.mid-day.com/articles/the-experimental-artiste/155410 |url-status=bot: unknown }} Mid Day</ref> The style developed by him is widely known as '''Indian slap bass''',<ref>[http://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2010/10/slap-bass-and-indian-slap-bass-the-evolution-by-guest-writer-jayen-varma/ Slap Bass and Indian Slap Bass the Evolution] Bass Musician Magazine</ref><ref>Unconventional slap bass {{Cite web |url=http://nh7.in/indiecision/2010/09/20/watch-jayen-varmas-unconventional-slap-bass/ |title=Watch: Jayen Varma's 'Unconventional Slap Bass' > NH7 | Discover new music from India and around the world |access-date=25 February 2022 |archive-date=18 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218161110/http://nh7.in/indiecision/2010/09/20/watch-jayen-varmas-unconventional-slap-bass/ |url-status=bot: unknown }} NH7 Weekender</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiHO1n3TtS0 Indian Slap Bass Technique] TEDxTalks</ref> which won him fans around the globe and accolades from some of the great names in bass guitar like Jeff Berlin, Bootsy Collins, Victor Wooten etc. He belongs to the State of Kerala in India. He performs with the band [http://www.trinaad.com Trinaad] consisting of Indian classical vocalist Aparna Panshikar and French drummer Jean Davoisne.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140512214448/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/article231955.ece An equal music] The New Indian Express</ref><ref>[http://www.sudouest.fr/2013/04/16/l-inde-en-invitee-1026650-2539.php L’Inde en invitée] Sud-Ouest (newspaper)</ref><ref>[https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2011/03/12/1032816-le-duo-inedit-d-un-indien-et-d-un-armagnacais.html Le duo inédit d'un Indien et d'un Armagnacais] La Dépêche du Midi</ref> He is also a member of the bands Afro Tala and Firefly.<ref>[https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2018/jan/19/fireflies-reunite-to--entertain-1758956.html Fireflies Reunite] The New Indian Express</ref>
==Film== He is also a playback singer. The single named 'The Country Song' in the Malayalam movie Koothara composed by Gopi Sundar was sung by him.<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/music/Koothara-music-review/articleshow/36597923.cms Film Music Review] The Times of India</ref>
==Personal life== Jayen was born to Kerala Varma and Thankamani in 1961 in Ernakulam district, Kerala. He is married to Kala Varma and has two daughters: Athira Varma and Aswathy Varma. He was working as a gazetted officer in Cochin Devaswom Board and later he took voluntary retirement to pursue a full-time music career.<ref>[https://archive.today/20151217030002/http://archives.deccanchronicle.com/130610/entertainment-tvmusic/article/thumbs-drummer Thumbs up drummer] Deccan Chronicle</ref>
==Equipment== Jayen was using Indian hand made Stelsie bass guitar with Kent Armstrong pickups since 2008. In 2018, he switched to Sire bass guitars.<ref>[https://sire-usa.com/blogs/sire-friends/jayen-varma-india Feature] Sire Guitars</ref> He is also an official artist endorser of Gruv Gear FretWraps<ref>[https://gruvgear.com/blogs/artist-family/jayen-varma Feature] Gruv Gear</ref><ref>[http://www.rsjonline.com/features/in-conversation-with-bass-guitarist-jayen-varma-at-namm-2016-los-angeles.html Interview from NAMM show 2016, CA] Rock Street Journal</ref> and Soundbrenner.
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Varma, Jayen}} Category:1961 births Category:Experimental musicians Category:Indian bass guitarists Category:Indian guitarists Category:Jazz fusion bass guitarists Category:Living people Category:Malayali people Category:Musicians from Kerala