ARTS & LEISUREPAGE 28 — THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2011 LOCALSOURCE.COM UNION COUNTY LOCALSOURCE

Entertainer started singingand he 'hasn't stopped yet'

m m ^

Singer mesmerizes audience at Schaefer Gardensin Union with selection of songs from music legends

By Bea SmithStaff Writer

It took all of 30 seconds for thesenior citizens at Schaefer Gardensin Union to communicate happilywith the singer-guitarist, Julian,during a dinner meeting in theCommunity Room.

The very moment this incrediblemusician, who hails from Bloom-field, became Louis Armstrong —or at least, his impressionist voicedid — the women in the audiencesighed and swooned, and the mensmiled and cheered. And beforelong, the bearded wonder caughtthe eye of one woman, Marion Perl-mutter, brought his microphoneright to her and sang his rendition of"It Had to Be You." And she sangalong with him.

It took Julian less than an hour tocourt all the entranced female ten-ants with his deep, rich voice, andthere was wild applause as he imi-tated, with perfection, such icons asJohnny Mathis, Elvis Presley andFrank Sinatra. For a touch of opera,there was the voice of Andre Bocel-li — or was it Pavarotti? What real-ly brought the house down — trulyuncontrollably — was Julian'simpression of Nat "King" Cole, andbelieve it or not, Natalie Cole,singing "Unforgettable."

Julian, whose last name is Her-nandez, has been doing this sort ofthing, professionally, for the past 20years, I le has his own band, recordshis music on CDs, tours cities andtowns and states. He admitted dur-ing a recent chat, however, his bestaudiences are senior citizens.

"I do a lot of concerts for assist-ed living sites, senior residencesand nursing homes. And I get such athrill when the ladies and gentlemenall look like they're having fun,"Julian declared. "It's therapeutic forme."

He said he counts his blessingsthat he is able to bring some form ofhappiness to the senior citizens.

"God opened my eyes to a realappreciation of life," Julian said."When I see what my music does tothese people, I thank them for shar-ing this hour with me. What is lifereally about? When their eyes aresmiling giving me love, it some-times brings a tear to my eyes.Somebody's got to entertain thesepeople," he said. "I thank the Lordfor my blessings. I could be enter-taining 10,000 people or just some-one in a wheelchair, and I feel thesame way."

Julian said that "I've been infront of every kind of audience, butto me, I give and they take. I like tosurprise them, too. And when I walkout of their building, 1 feel like I'mon a high."

His other appearances includedMario's, Galloping Hill Inn, Beni-to's and the Knights of Columbus,all in Union. Julian has entertainedin Linden, Rahway, Cranford, inconcerts in the park and in numer-ous Essex County halls.

Born in the Bronx, N.Y.. Julianwas raised in Hoboken. "I'm thatother singer from Hoboken," hemused. "There was Sinatra, andthere was Julian."

He became interested in music at

the age of five. "My mother boughtme a toy piano. That was the start ofit," Julian recalled. "My uncleplayed a guitar, and when 1 was 11years old, I said, 'I'd love to do that.Actually, that was the first time 1got the bug. Then when I saw theBeatles on the Ed Sullivan Show ontelevision, I became in love with theguitar. After that, it was music,music, music."

In 1969, he joined a band, byfilling in for a guitar player whobecame ill.

"I was 14 years old, and I put ondark sunglasses, I was so nervous.But everyone thought that I was socool," he said.

He said he didn't know he had avoice until "I auditioned for a vari-ety show. The lead singer got sick,so they asked me to sing one song. Isang it, and the leader said, 'Thisguy's great!' So, I started singing,and I haven't stopped yet. And inaddition, I do impersonations. I trav-eled with bands in road shows from1975 and came back home in 1979."

If Julian had listened to hisfather, who wanted him to have aneducation — he attended New Jer-sey City University to study com-mercial art and become an artteacher — he would never had real-ized that he "had a knack for music,for mimicking the artists by listen-ing to their records and being influ-enced by them."

Julian has done "voiceovers, alot of singing and a lot of records. Iwas featured as Joe Fortunato, thesinging cook, in the movie, 'Amongthe Jones.'"

Julian Hernandez sings 'It Had to Be You' with Mari-on Pertmutter, former president of Union's SchaeferGardens Tenant Association, at an event in Union.

He has appeared on the CD,"GrooveScape Records," had a hitsingle, "Can't Go This WayAgain," which reached number 46on the Billboard Chart of "TheTop 100," and in 2002, was a NewYork Idol finalist on the radio. Hewrote music for and sang in suchmovies as "Grandview USA,""The Survivalist" and ""True

Love," and received a number ofmusical awards.

\The CDs of this man of 1000voices can be purchased fromFortune Entertainment atwww Voicel000.com.

"If I had a choice," Julian stated,"I would love to go with a micro-phone in my hand and sing to some-one. Preferably a senior citizen."

'Follow' Kean theater group to 1950s MississippiPremiere Stages, celebrating its seventh

year as the professional Equity theater inresidence at Kean University, announcesthe premiere of "Follow Me to Nellie's" byDominique Morisseau.

"Follow Me to Nellie's," takes place inthe home of the infamous Nellie Jackson's,where a hopeless blues singer is looking fora way out, a brave freedom fighter is look-ing for a way in, and a house of downtrod-den women are looking for a new day.

In 1955 Mississippi, during the reign ofsegregation, the price of attaining theirdreams may cost them everything. The playtakes a harrowing look at those who riskedeverything so that all Americans could beafforded the opportunity to vote. "FollowMe to Nellie's" opens July 14 and contin-ues through July 31. The exceptional cast

features veterans of Broadway, off-Broad-way, television and film, including LyndaGravatt in the title role.

Gravatt appeared on Broadway in "Caton a Hot Tin Roof," 45 Seconds FromBroadway, King Hedley II and Doubt. Shehas won numerous accolades for her off-Broadway work including the AUDELCOAward and the Theatre World Award. Tele-vision appearances have included roles in"Law & Order" series, "One Life to Live,"""As the World Turns," and "Sex and theCity."

The Premiere Stages production of "Fol-low Me to Nellie's" will include an interac-tive lobby display and patrons will have theopportunity to register to vote at all per-formances.

"Follow Me to Nellie's" is the winner of

the 2011 Premiere Stages Play Festival andwas selected from more than 300 submis-sions. The Festival features a uniquelyaccelerated process in which the region'smost promising new plays are developedand fully produced within a year of submis-sion. Playwrights are also afforded theopportunity to retain the coveted "worldpremiere" brand.

"In many professional theaters the timespan between meeting a writer, staging areading and producing the play can beyears," noted artistic director John Wooten."When we discover a dramatist we believein, our play festival process allows PremiereStages to fully commit the time, talent andresources necessary to share that writer'swork with a broad regional audience."

For reservations call the Kean Universi-

ty Box Office at 908-737-SHOW, or visitPremiere Stages online atuuir. kean. edii/premierestages.

All performances take place on the KeanUniversity campus, located at 1000 MorrisAve., Union in the Zella Fry Theatre in theVaughn Eames Building. Thursday, Fridayand Saturday evening performances beginat 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinee per-formances begin at 3 p.m.

Premiere Stages offers air-conditionedfacilities and free parking. Premiere Stagesprovides discounted tickets to patrons withdisabilities and provides facilities that arefully accessible. Patrons should call for alist of sign-interpreted, audio-described oropen-captioned performances.

Assistive listening devices and largeprint programs are available upon request.