Champian Announces New Album with Klas Lindquist on Turtle Bay Records titled "At Home"
The title of pianist/vocalist Champian Fulton and saxophonist/clarinetist/composer Klas Lindquist’s latest release, At Home, perfectly captures the spirit and intention of the new LP, out via Turtle Bay Records. A collection of standards tamed and delivered with distinguished finesse, At Home is Fulton’s first set of duets with Swedish reed virtuoso Lindquist, but glimmers like an ornate, timeless antique vase that gives each of its observers pause.
The album is Fulton’s 19th as a bandleader, and a fresh addition to Lindquist’s 40-something recordings as a featured soloist. Fulton, whose 20-year career has seen her perform in 25 countries in both concert and on TV, has been described as “a charming young steward of the mainstream jazz tradition” by The New York Times and as having a “galvanizing presence” by The New Yorker. Lindquist, who calls Stockholm home, is one of the most popular, in-demand jazz musicians in Sweden, with his 2023 album, Alternative Source of Energy, named the Jazz Album of the Year by the Orkesterjournalen readers’ poll.
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by GRAMMY-winning engineer Michael Perez-Cisneros and produced by Turtle Bay Records founder Scott Asen, the recordings on At Home were captured in Asen’s living room. The genesis for the project came from a performance given by Fulton and Lindquist at a dinner party hosted by Asen in his home, which inspired him to recreate the musical experience in the very same space, providing the musicians with an informal, private environment free of the constraints of a studio. As Fulton says, “Scott loved us playing in his living room and honestly, we loved it too … We wanted that vibe to come across the record. You know; very intimate, casual, off-the-cuff fun.” It only took two sessions for the duo to record all of the performances on the album.
On At Home, Fulton and Lindquist not only avoid the traps that may befall others recording a full album of standards—they widely circumvent them in an assured, elevated display of talent that makes it difficult to over-adulate. Fulton’s piano playing is smart and tactful in its complement of Lindquist’s deft breath and phrasing on both alto saxophone and clarinet, while the former’s vocal delivery seems an effortless, sophisticated grasp of the cadence of a rare songbird. Together, the duo’s musicianship is impressed upon the listener within seconds—the mark of artists that are the truest to themselves in their craft. Louis Armstrong biographer Ricky Riccardi writes in the album’s liner notes, “The best jazz often feels like a conversation between the participants … When the musicians are the caliber of Champian Fulton and Klas Lindquist, the conversation is able to achieve a level of high art.”
The standards chosen for At Home were selected to shine a light on Fulton and Lindquist’s most creative and vulnerable moments. The more expansive tracks, such as Ray Noble’s “The Very Thought of You,” Vincent Youmans and Irving Caesar’s “Tea for Two,” and Gordon Jenkins and Johnny Mercer’s “P.S. I Love You,” give them the opportunity to unwind, breathe, and emphasize their artistry by venturing down a relaxed, less commonly traveled path. The opening track in particular, “The Very Thought of You,” runs at seven minutes and 44 seconds. “I loved being able to record a long and languid version of this tune,” says Fulton, “I think it really sets the tone for a relaxed and intimate hour of music.”
Shortly after in the tracklist, Fulton and Lindquist take on “You Can Depend on Me,” written by Earl “Fatha” Hines and originally recorded by Louis Armstrong. Here, Fulton reimagines the subtle heartbreak of the lyric, with masterfully placed vocal vibrato that intensifies the composition’s message of romantic longing. This technique is quintessential to her sound, but infuses her delivery with emotional momentum each time she applies it.
“Tea for Two,” composed in 1924, is the oldest selection featured amongst the collection. Fulton’s vocal tone and piano accompaniment pair remarkably well with the verse’s charming turns of phrase, a quality only heightened by Lindquist’s flowing, gentle articulation and unassuming, bluish improvisation that sets a parlor-like scene. The performance intensifies with a piano solo by Fulton, featuring frequent cascading, rolling arpeggiations that only serve to deepen her expression.
The two take the album’s second instrumental break with “Serenade in Blue,” which provides a frame in which Lindquist illustrates a portrait of his lyrical sensibilities on clarinet. The tune also sets the stage for Fulton’s vocal return on the Armstrong-penned “Someday You’ll Be Sorry,” where Fulton once again reminds listeners of her prowess: Her piano style contains slight echoes of her heroes, Erroll Garner and Milt Buckner, while her vocal contains hints of Billie Holiday and Anita O’Day, overlaid with the individuality that’s drawn Fulton such a range of accolades.
Once again on alto sax, Lindquist leads the duo’s instrumental rendition of “Bésame Mucho” in a succinct three minutes, before returning to clarinet on the following, “My Monday Date.” His and Fulton’s now-familiar pairing carry the comforting mood through to the last track, “P.S. I Love You,” perhaps best described as a love letter to both the project and its audience. The carefully composed scene draws to a close with the final line, “Every night, I’m dreaming of you / P.S. I love you.”
As so aptly put by Riccardi, after the album’s conclusion, “it’s tempting to want to play it all over again from the beginning.” Indeed, the captivating musical conversation of Fulton and Lindquist’s maiden voyage is sure to similarly impress jazz connoisseurs and fledgling listeners alike.
The first single, “I Was Looking for You” drops Friday March 21.
Second single drops April 4.
Third single drops April 18.
Full album available digitally, on CD and LP May 2.
