Remembering Al Jolson

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“Jolson was the first true superstar before they even coined that expression,” says Jan Hernstat, the International Al Jolson Society’s longtime president. “That was the kind of power he had, long before there was all the media access that we have today.” He points out that entertainers back then only had film and theater as platforms for displaying their crafts; TV and radio were luxuries of the future, “so he really had to do something special to get attention.” Hernstat is thrilled to see a few hundred of the same people who come to the festival every single year to celebrate Jolson. “It is a real tribute to his talent that he has been gone for 64 years now and can still fill up a room. That’s my favorite thing about the whole experience, and why I continue to do it every year.”

Panelists and performers also return to the festival to make for an intriguing and educational experience. Regulars Ed Greenbaum and Jo Ciolino will present a multi-media presentation while speaking about Jolson’s performing style, exploring how the entertainer fluctuated with his interpretations of songs with each performance. Expert Jolson vocalist Tony Babino, who Hernstat says is the real deal (“unlike other performers who do impressions or caricatures of the legend”) is back with his show, “The Heart of Al Jolson,” in which he’ll re-create the magic of Jolson’s sound. Attendees should be ready with requests for Babino, who enjoys impromptu numbers. 

Brian Gari, the grandson of Jolson’s friend and sometime collaborator, Eddie Cantor, will also appear. “Jolson’s relationship with Cantor was very meaningful and this remains an important link to the past that we want to share with everyone,” says
Hernstat.

The entertainment doesn’t end there. Bob Greenberg (who previously brought laughter to the festival as one half of Laurel and Hardy) and Joe Bevilaqua will re-create Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on First?” routine.

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