Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Julian has been an active performer, sessionist, and educator in the Malaysian and regional music scene since 2001. He graduated with a Masters degree in Jazz Performance from Queens College in New York, where he studied with jazz greats Antonio Hart, Michael Mossman, (the late) Prof. Howard Brofsky and David Berkman.

Julian has performed with both Malaysian and international artistes (both jazz and of other styles) such as Michael Veerapen (MY), Jeremy Monteiro (SG), Koh Mr. Saxman (THAI), Laura Fygi, Carmen Bradford (US), James Morrison (AUS), Eugene Pao (HK), Isao Miyoshi (JP), Tony Lakatos (GER), Jonathan Lee 李宗盛 (Taiwan), Jeff Chang 张信哲 (Taiwan), Sheila Majid (MY), James Flynn (AUS), Anthony Strong (UK), Claude Diallo (Switzerland/NY). He has also shared the stage with many prominent musicians such as Antonio Hart, Randy Brecker, Fritz Renold, Christian Jacobs, Tony Lakatos, Helen Sung, Carmen Bradford (from the Count Basie Orchestra), vocalist Kenny Washington, and Bobby Watson. Julian has also performed in many festivals including Java Jazz Festival, Macau Jazz Festival, SingJazz International Jazz Festival, ASEAN Jazz Festival (Malaysia), EFG London Jazz Festival, Penang International Jazz Festival, Borneo International Jazz Festival, Hua Hin International Jazz Festival.

Julian has established himself as a prominently versatile saxophonist in the country, and has performed in many different music settings (from jazz to symphonic music) and with a wide variety of music projects such as WVC - Malaysian Jazz Ensemble, RTM Orchestra/Big Band, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonic Winds of Malaysia, Q Sound, The Lawrence Wright Ensemble; performed in Malaysian musicals such as “LAT Kampung Boy”, “SuperMokh”, and many other stage productions. He has recorded in several instrumental and vocal albums with some of these ensembles as well as commercial recordings since the beginning of his music career. He has also performed in several big bands in the region such as the Jazz Association of Singapore Orchestra (JASSO), MPO Big Band (performing with Laura Fygi), Brass Explosion All Star Big Band featuring James Morrison. In 2018, Julian formed his own big band - the Julian Chan Jazz Orchestra (JCJO) and made their debut performance at the Damansara Performing Arts Centre (Kuala Lumpur) in September 2018.

Julian is also an active educator in Malaysia. Aside from being an adjunct lecturer at the Institute of Music, UCSI University and running his own saxophone studio, Julian has conducted workshops and masterclasses and other educational activities in schools and other institutions from around the country.

Julian is a Yanagisawa Saxophones artiste.