Jesse 'Chuy' Varela

Currently Jesse ‘Chuy’ Varela serves as Program and Music Director at KCSM JAZZ 91, the Bay Area’s Jazz radio station. 2025 marks Chuy’s 42nd anniversary in radio. He has worked at KBBF – Santa Rosa, KPFA – Pacifica Radio in Berkeley, KJAZ Radio in Alameda, KBRG – Spanish Language Radio - San Jose, and KCSM JAZZ 91, as well as a news reporter/stringer for National Public Radio, Latino USA, Radio Bilingüe, and other radio entities.

He has served as a consultant for the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC, Oakland Museum of California, The DeYoung Museum in San Francisco, Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, SFJAZZ, and numerous other organizations.

Varela is also a freelance journalist who has written for the San Francisco Chronicle, The Eastbay Express, Latin Beat Magazine, Jazz Times Magazine, El Tecolote Newspaper, and numerous other publications as well as writing liner notes for Verve Records, Concord Records, Arhoolie Records, High Tone Records, and other numerous indie labels.

Varela has lectured and taught at UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, Stanford University, City College of San Francisco, The International Association of Jazz Educators Conference, The University of the Sagrado Corazon in Puerto Rico, Habana Jazz Festival, The Kiwanis Club of Oakland, and numerous other schools and organizations. He also serves on the board of directors of The Oaktown Jazz Workshop, a jazz education program for young people in Oakland, as well as a mentor for The Berkeley High School Jazz Band Honors Project.

Currently Jesse ‘Chuy;’ Varela hosts The Latin Jazz Show on Sundays from 2pm-6pm and Jazz In The Afternoon Mon.-Weds, 2pm-6pm.

In May 2024, Jesse ‘Chuy” Varela celebrated 40 years hosting The Latin Jazz Show, which he began hosting at KJAZ in 1984.

AWARDS

2001 - Gavin Magazine Jazz Programmer of the Year

2006 Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir - Excellence in Music Award

2006 West Coast Blues Hall Of Fame Award – Bob Geddins Lifetime Achievement Award

2011 Voices of Latin Rock Armando Peraza Award

2017 Jazz Week Bobby Jackson Award - Programmer of the Year

2023 Jazz Journalists Association - Jazz Hero - San Francisco

2024 Club Puertoriqueño de San Francisco – Person of the Year