Victor Janusz Wants To Tell You His Story

Cabaret Artist Victor Janusz Tells “Obama Tales” and reveals his own “(Nordstrom) Mannequin Blues” inHANDS SOLO: PianomanSix Performances at ACT’s Central Heating Lab. Starting tonight and running through July 20th. Get your tickets here.

Earle Dutton: When did you know you wanted to become a professional musician?
Victor Janusz: I started out as a professional actor in NYC when I was 20, and started getting busy with music –playing piano in Greenwich Village, which didn’t pay much but I started getting more into it.

I was always discouraged when I was a kid –and this is a part of the show— because I didn’t like theory, reading, or lessons at all. I played piano by ear.  Much later I was encouraged big-time by jazz musicians, cabaret folk, and others who were more “instinctual” with it.

Victor Janusz on equality365.com

Victor Janusz and President Obama

ED: Tell us a bit about the show?
VJ: It is about me opening up and telling hilarious and heartfelt stories through song. This new one-man show includes many familiar songs, five of my original pieces and a dozen stories with corresponding music

ED: Is it hard to put so much of your life story into your music then perform is in front of strangers?
VJ: No. I see it as a real gift from the heart.  Cabaret legend Julie Wilson taught me (at Yale Univ. Cabaret Workshop) that solo-shows give you an opportunity to “Perform yourself –on purpose”.  It means digging deep and offering the most truthful aspect of a song or story from your life to an audience.

ED: What is your favorite part of the show?
VJ: The Wedding Section (I have played for 168 weddings to date –I count them!)  I combine two of my most requested “Wedding Songs” into one medley –two songs with the very same title written 36 years apart! “FOR ALL WE KNOW” x 2!

ED: What is your favorite song?
VJ:”Without A Song” by Billy Rose/Eliscu/Youmans (1929) –and it is the very beginning of the show….. (I’ve loved it since I was a little boy)

ED: If you could collaborate with any musician/vocalist who would it be and what would you perform?
VJ: I love Duffy Bishop (who I heard just got nominated for a Grammy in the BLUES category!)  We have done a couple concerts together. She has the biggest voice and heart of anyone on the planet –and makes me “step up” in a way no one else ever has! She taught me some cool songs one of which “SHOULD I EVER LOVE AGAIN?” It is on my new album coming out in late August…Facebook Page: “Victor Janusz BAND New CD” I really wanna sing my Holiday tune THE FRUITCAKE BLUES with her!

Connect with Victor Janusz:

Twitter (here)
Facebook (here)

 

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Earle Dutton

Earle Dutton

Earle Dutton is the Chief Blogger and Editor of Equality365.com. He founded Equality365.com in 2013 to provide information about LGBTQ friendly events of interest, and to support LGBTQ entertainers and supportive artists who visit our community. Earle is a successful businessman in the Pacific Northwest with a long history of support for and involvement in, the Northwest LGBTQ community. His personal interests include: music, theater, pets, culinary arts and technology.

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