Native New Yorker Julian Velard has been called a lot of names— singer, songwriter, crooner, piano man, jazzman, ladies’ man. The 24 year-old artist has many personalities, yet it is his identity as ‘passionate storyteller’ that has won over the New York City music scene. Acclaimed by the New Yorker, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Village Voice, and Time Out New York, Velard’s music is best described as “Jazz, pop, Beatles, blues, Broadway, alt rock, progressive this and conventional that,” according to the group’s website. Velard will sing and play piano at Wesleyan as part of a quintet, whose other instruments will include bass, percussion, guitar, and trumpet.
This Thursday, April 22, Julian Velard and the ABand will take the stage at the Memorial Chapel for two sets of electrifying music. The show begins at 8pm sharp!
Tickets are on sale now at the Campus Center Box Office, and will be available at the door. Tickets are $5 for students, either with cash or Wesleyan ID.
JH: How did you get into music? More specifically, how did you come to work with the members of the ABand?
JV: I attended the performing arts high school, La Guardia, and wanted to pursue acting, but instead, got heavily involved with studying voice. Then, I went to Hampshire College intending on majoring in film, but met Yusef Lateef and the rest was history. Yusef took me under his wing and sent me to Paris to study with Jazz pianist Kirk Lightsey. This music thing was my calling. I became obsessed. I returned to New York City in 2001. I got together with long-time friend and trumpet player Jeff Pierce to form a duo. The ABand grew from the duo to a quartet, and then finally to a sextet, through connections I was making in NYC.
JH: What challenges have you faced as a new artist in the NYC music scene?
JV: New York City is completely saturated with music. On any given night, there may be 100 different gigs occurring at the same time. Also, NYC is completely style conscious. Tons of bands are trying be the next so and so. My music and band has no gimmicks. We are coming from more of a tradition than an imitation.
JH: What have you been listening to lately?
JV: I’m digging on Johnny “Guitar” Watson. He’s a blend of Blues and Funk from the 50s/60s. Marvin Gaye’s divorce album, Hear, My Dear, the Postal Service album is great, Usher’s new album, and Wing’s Greatest Hits are all getting some significant spin time.
JH: What is your favorite song to sing, original or cover?
JV: I love singing “Glad it’s over now” from my live album. Singing the Michael Jackson cover “The Way You Make Me Feel” and Usher’s tune “You Don’t Have To Call” are more for kicks during the live shows.
JH: What do you already know about Wesleyan and the student body?
JV: I believe Anthony Braxton has a music program for undergraduate Jazz majors. I suppose there are a lot of intellectual types, who read a lot. There’s probably some similarities between the scene at Hampshire and Wesleyan because of the liberal arts school outlook. I’m curious to see how my music will be received. When we played at Hampshire College, I felt the student body had that sort of too cool for school attitude. Hopefully we’ll bring the house down at Wesleyan.
JH: Any stories about your other job as a physical education teacher?
JV: I teach kindergarten through second grade phys ed. at a magnet school in Brooklyn called BNS [Brooklyn New School]. The kids are definitely a big inspiration in my life, not only for my song writing, but as a source of realism in my life. There’s a lot of gas in the music industry and my kids provide a good balance.
JH: How often does music get you directly laid? Any groupies?
JV: I’ve learned from experience that you have to be careful and watch yourself when you start tapping into the fan base. I’ve had some groupies. We played a gig at Williams College last year and there were these girls that were crazy about me. They started coming to a couple of the area shows and pursuing me a little too aggressively. I cannot say that my music has directly gotten me laid, but it probably was a contributing factor in some cases.
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