Champian Fulton

Jazz Pianist and Vocalist

Amerikansk jazz-stjerne fortryllede publikum, Danish News October 2024

En amerikansk jazzstjerne optrådte i Nykøbing med en koncert, der tryllebandt publikum.

Direkte fra New Yorks jazzscener til Nykøbing fik publikum i Kulturhus Pakhuset den funklende jazz-juvel Champian Fulton, der sammen med et hold af topmusikere skabte ren magi en lørdag eftermiddag.

Champian Fulton er en upcoming stjerne på den internationale jazz-himmel. I Pakhuset funklede hunsom sanger og som virtuos, Oscar Peterson-inspireret pianist. En kombination der kræver Multitasking. Hun begyndte at synge og spille jazz som barn i sin fars orkester - han spillede trompet og flygelhorn.

Hendes dybt indlejrede performance-naturlighed og musikalitet forplantede sig til publikum til intim koncerten i en tryllebindende intensitet.

Hylder de store divaer

Publikum blev hvirvlet ind i et univers af øresmygende, vemodigt-blå - eller lystigt lykkelige kærlighedssange fra “The Great American Songbook”, tidligere sunget af divaer som Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee og Billie Holiday. Champian Fulton tilføjede nye lag i kraft af sin rigt facetterede stemme og eminente klaver-akkompagnement til klassikere som “I Don't Know Enough About You”, “Baubles, Bangles and Beads”, “PS I Love You” og “It’s All Right With Me”.

Elsker eftermiddags-jazz

Det er så dejligt at være her. Jazz om eftermiddagen er noget helt andet end jazz sent om aftenen. Jeg får lyst til at spille en anden type sange her, sagde Champian Fulton før Dinah Washington-klassikeren “What A Difference A Day Makes”. Den blev indpakket i fortryllende saxofon-spil, leveret af den mesterlige, svenske altsaxofonist og klarinettist Klas Lindquist. Han er influeret af altsax-legender som Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker og Lou Donaldson - banebrydende indenfor hver deres genrer swing, bebop og hardbop. Den svenske saxofonist bevægede sig eminent indenfor alle genrerne - med smukt melodiøst spil, stærke improvisationer og blus-feeling. Det hele med et nostalgisk skær, hvilket kærligt flankerede Champian Fultons sang.

Den allerførste sang

Den her sang, var den første, jeg sang offentligt - “Pennies From Heaven”. Den lærte jeg af min far, berettede Champian Fulton om Clark Terrys evergreen. En fortolkning af Lou Donaldsons “Jump Up”, i forfriskende uptempo spækket med rytmeskift, bød på vilde præstationer af den svenske bas-gigant, Hans Backenroth, blandt andet en mester i bas-solo med bue, og danske Kristian Leth som rytmisk kraftværk bag trommerne.

Et kælent samspil

Publikum fik også et par Billie Holiday-sange - først “I Cryed For You” og til sidst “You Turned The Tables On Me.- Det er min yndlingssang, erklærede Champian Fulton. Publikum fik klappet sig til et ekstranummer - Fitzgerald-signaturen “It Had To Be You”, der bød på kælent samspil mellem Fulton og Lindquist.


American jazz star enchanted the audience

An American jazz star performed in Nykøbing with a concert that enchanted the audience.

Directly from New York's jazz scenes to Nykøbing, the audience in Kulturhus Pakhuset got the sparkling jazzjewel Champian Fulton, who together with a team of top musicians created pure magic on a Saturday afternoon.

Champian Fulton is an upcoming star on the international jazz scene. In Pakhuset, she sparkled as a singer and as a virtuoso, Oscar Peterson-inspired pianist. A combination that requires multitasking. She started singing and playing jazz as a child in her father's orchestra he played trumpet and flugelhorn. Her deeply embedded performance naturalness and musicality propagated to the audience at the intimate concert in a mesmerizing intensity.

Paying homage to the great divas

The audience was whirled into a universe of ear-splitting, wistfully blue or merrily happy love songs from “The Great American Songbook”, previously sung by divas like Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and Billie Holiday.

Champian Fulton added new layers by virtue of his richly faceted voice and eminent piano-accompaniment to classics such as "I Don't Know Enough About You", "Baubles, Bangles and Beads", "PS I Love You" and "It's All Right With Me".

Love afternoon jazz

It's so nice to be here. Jazz in the afternoon is something completely different from jazz late in the evening. I feel like playing a different type of song here, Champian Fulton said before Dinah Washington the classic "What A Difference A Day Makes". It was wrapped in enchanting saxophone playing, delivered by the masterful Swedish alto saxophonist and clarinetist Klas Lindquist. He is influenced by alto sax legends such as Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker and Lou Donaldson - pioneer within each of their genres swing, bebop and hardbop.

The Swedish saxophonist moved eminently within all genres - with beautiful melodic playing, strong improvisations and flare feeling. All with a nostalgic glow, which lovingly flanked Champion Fulton's song.

The very first song

This song was the first I sang in public - “Pennies From Heaven”. I learned that from my father, reported Champion Fulton of Clark Terry's evergreen. An interpretation of Lou Donaldson's "Jump Up", in refreshing uptempo packed with rhythm changes, offered wild performances by the Swedish bass giant, Hans Backenroth, among other things a master of the bass solo with bow, and Danish Kristian Leth as a rhythmic powerhouse behind the drums.

A cuddly interplay

The audience was also treated to a few Billie Holiday songs - first “I Cryed For You” and finally “You Turned The Tables On Me. "It's my favorite song," declared Champian Fulton. The audience clapped along to an encore - the Fitzgerald signature “It Had To Be You” that offered cuddly interplay between Fulton and Lindquist.

© Champian Fulton