Champian Fulton

Jazz Pianist and Vocalist

Champian Debuts *New* Show with Jazz at the Ballroom called "Flying High"

January 03, 2024  /  Champian Fulton

FLYING HIGH: BIG BAND CANARIES WHO SOARED

Jazz at the Ballroom salutes the timeless artistry of iconic female jazz vocalist

SAN FRANCISCO (January 2, 2024) – Billie Holiday. Anita O’Day. Lena Horne. Peggy Lee. Rosemary Clooney. Ella Fitzgerald. It’s an impressive, but not complete, list of great vocalists who took swinging jazz standards and added an allusive female perspective. Early in their careers, they were “canaries”—young women singing with the greatest big bands on the scene: the orchestras of Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Gene Krupa, Benny Goodman, and others—and went on to create their own sounds and solo careers.

For the first time, the renowned California-based music nonprofit Jazz at the Ballroom (JATB), proudly announces the debut of “Flying High: Big Band Canaries Who Soared.” This extraordinary musical celebration is a tribute to the legendary women who shaped the jazz genre, showcasing their remarkable talent and the timeless classics that defined the era.

Under the skillful music direction of the esteemed New York-based jazz pianist and vocalist, Champian Fulton, the performance takes the audience on a nostalgic journey through the golden age of jazz. The new show launches during Women’s History Month March 8-10, 2024, at the famous Birdland in Manhattan and is set for a national run.

“We’ve chosen Women’s History Month to launch our new show because it is an ideal time to elevate the artistry of these women and educate others about their influence on music in general and the next generation of artists in particular,” said Suzanne Waldowski, Founder, Jazz at the Ballroom. “We are targeting women’s colleges and landmark venues and festivals. Beyond our New York premiere, we hope to present the show at historical spaces where the original jazz canaries themselves left their mark.”

“As a pianist I have always wanted to accompany vocalists other than myself, and I am so thrilled to be able to do that with this project and recording. It was a ball to be able to step into that role and just focus on the sound of the piano and the rhythm section. ”
— Champian Fulton

Partial Artist List

Carmen Bradford – Vocals, Champian Fulton – Vocals/Piano, Jane Monheit – Vocals, Lezlie Harrison – Vocals, Gretje Angell – Vocals, Olivia Chindamo – Vocals, Vanessa Perea - Vocals, Nicholas Payton – Trumpet, Willie Jones III - Drums, Charles Ruggiero – Drums, Mike Gurrola -- Bass

About Jazz at the Ballroom

Jazz at the Ballroom is a California-based non-profit that celebrates America’s truly original music – classic jazz. They are dedicated to showcasing the greatest jazz artists in unique settings. Through their concert series, scholarship program, workshops and performances at schools, senior living centers, and hospitals, JATB works to enhance the appreciation of jazz in the larger community. For more information: www.jazzattheballroom.com Facebook: jazzattheballroom  Instagram: @jazzattheballroom

Media Contact:

Stacie Fasola (650) 703-2753

Stacie.fasola@wnwnpr.com

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Champian at the Arcachon Jazz Festival in France (December 2023)

January 01, 2024  /  Champian Fulton

Champian Fulton invite André Villéger : Un cocktail d’élégance, de charme et de swing

Changement de décor pour la seconde partie de soirée. Le public a été invité à rejoindre la salle de spectacle du théâtre Olympia où se produisait Champian Fulton.
Musicienne incontournable de la scène new yorkaise, chanteuse et pianiste, elle s’inscrit dans la lignée de grandes voix féminines telles Sarah Vaughan ou Dinah Washington. Sa musique met à l’honneur les racines afro-américaines du jazz et son jeu au piano est influencé par Errol Garner, Bud Powell ou Sonny Clark. Considérée comme l’une des étoiles montantes de la scène jazz, elle a été nommée pianiste et voix féminine de l’année 2019 lors de la cérémonie des NYC Readers Jazz Awards.


Bercée par la musique depuis son plus jeune âge puisque son père est trompettiste de jazz, elle s’est essayée à la batterie, la basse et la trompette avant de jeter son dévolu sur le piano. Elle envisage le jazz comme un langage qui favorise la liberté d’expression et la recherche du bonheur.


Dès son arrivée sur scène, Champian Fulton a éclaboussé l’Olympia de son sourire et de son élégance naturelle. Toute de bleue vêtue, elle a pris possession du clavier avec autorité et vélocité, sa voix au timbre clair se mêlant admirablement aux arpèges.


Elle est accompagnée d’Alex Gilson à la contrebasse et d’Armando Luongo à la batterie, 2 musiciens brillants, élégants, au swing plein de vitalité. Le saxophoniste André Villéger a été invité à partager la scène avec eux. Ce dernier a une longue et belle carrière derrière lui. Il a su s’adapter au jeu d’autres musiciens exigeants tels Milt Buckner, Harry « sweets » Edison, Claude Bolling. Après avoir longtemps joué de l’alto en s’inspirant du style de Sidney Bechet, il s’est par la suite tourné vers les sonorités plus graves du ténor et du baryton.

Champion Fulton est-elle plus talentueuse au chant qu’au piano se demande le spectateur subjugué ? En fait, on ne peut dissocier les deux. Elle nourrit de sa pétulance et de sa virtuosité chaque interprétation et entretient un lien presque physique avec son instrument. Elle parvient à le faire vibrer avec une main gauche qui est tout sauf indolente. Son jeu regorge de swing. Elle joue en permanence sur les tonalités avec une aisance déconcertante, caressant, survolant les touches avec souplesse et une apparente désinvolture alors que les morceaux sont sophistiqués. Elle maitrise à la perfection les techniques du piano jazz, le toucher est percussif, virtuose, les longs chorus toujours inspirés, rythmés et harmonieux.


Quant à sa voix légèrement acidulée, claire et affirmée, elle a une belle tessiture qui sied parfaitement à son répertoire et lui permet de « scatter » avec décontraction.


Tout au long du concert, l’improvisation a primé, sollicitant en permanence le talent des instrumentistes. André Villéger a su brillamment trouver sa place et colorer avec beaucoup de fraicheur et d’impétuosité chaque morceau du timbre mat, feutré et inimitable de son ténor rutilant.


En professionnelle accomplie, Champian Fulton a su mettre en valeur ses musiciens. Sur le standard pop et jazz de Gus Arnheim et Abe Lyman, « I cried for you », Alex Gilson a exécuté un époustouflant chorus rapide et très rythmé.
De même, sur la belle balade « PS, I love you », chacun a pu poser ses notes dans un tempo parfait, par touches légères autour de la voix lumineuse de la chanteuse, les solos s’enchainant naturellement, rythmés par les balais délicats d’Armando Luongo.

Le quartet nous a gratifié d’une belle reprise de « All of me », coécrite par Seymour Simons et Gérald Marks et interprétée en son temps par Billie Holiday. Le chorus de la contrebasse en introduction aura marqué les esprits par son raffinement rythmique. Quand cet instrument casse les codes et devient leader avec un pizzicato inspiré, on assiste à des moments magiques.


Champian Fulton a publié un album consacré aux chansons de Noël et en ce début décembre, le moment était choisi pour interpréter une « Christmas song » au son jazzy délicieusement désuet avant d’enchainer sur un morceau beaucoup plus enlevé, prétexte à de multiples chorus valorisés par son talent pianistique et enrichis de la créativité de chaque musicien.
Il aura fallu deux rappels pour que le public, venu en nombre, accepte de quitter la salle !
Ce concert a consacré l’essence même du jazz en laissant une large place à l’improvisation, à la liberté d’inventer des plages musicales singulières. André Villéger nous a même confié à la fin du concert qu’une partie de la set list s’était confectionnée au fil de la soirée. Cette information nous a laissé songeurs et admiratifs tant l’interprétation était fluide d’un bout à l’autre.

Il est d’ailleurs à noter qu’en improvisatrice hors pair, Champian Fulton a publié l’album « Meet me at Birdland » en 2022. Pour ce faire, elle a passé 4 soirées sur la scène du légendaire club de jazz new yorkais, sans répéter un seul morceau et tout en enregistrant ce qui allait devenir son futur album Live et son seizième en tant que leader.
Cette première soirée a brillamment lancé la seconde édition du festival du jazz d’Arcachon !

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Champian in Eskilstuna Sweden, December 2023

December 31, 2023  /  Champian Fulton

Champian Fulton Quartet appears in Eskilstuna Sweden, December 2023. With Kristian Leth on drums, Hans Backenroth on bass, and Klas Lindquist on alto and clarinet.

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Champian Hosts Lou Donaldson's 97th Birthday Party !

November 26, 2023  /  Champian Fulton

On October 30 Champian hosted Lou Donaldson’s 97th Birthday Party at Dizzy’s in New York City. Attendees included Akiko Tsugara, Nick Hempton, Peter Bernstein, Fukushi Tainaka, Kenny Washington, and many members of the Donaldson family. Scroll through the pictures below!

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Champian's Trio was a "Festival Highlight" at the Litchfield Jazz Fest this summer

October 02, 2023  /  Champian Fulton

Published in the October issue of the New York City Jazz Record

Champian Fulton’s trio was a festival highlight. Equally adept and fiercely experimental as a singer and pianist, she plays aggressively with tempo and a wide vocal range (sans scat singing). Fulton shifts dynamics rapidly without ever losing touch with a song’s melody: a Fulton trademark is a jump to the top of her range at the end of a line. Her all-standards program featured ace support from Hide Tanaka (bass) and Fukushi Tainaka (drums), a formidable rhythm section that’s been with Fulton for two decades. When not singing or playing during her set, Fulton offered historical tidbits about songs from the Great American Songbook such as the Silver/Lewis/Sherman “Every Now and Then”, recorded by Helen Humes half a dozen times. “Too Marvelous for Words” got an especially delicate treatment. And any thought that Fulton couldn’t make it as just a pianist were dispelled by a spirited take on Phineas Newborn Jr.’s “Theme for Basie”. Arguably best heard live, that’s indeed the format for Fulton on her latest release, Meet Me at Birdland (s/r).

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Reviews are coming in for "Meet Me At Birdland!"

September 28, 2023  /  Champian Fulton

Champian’s new album “Meet Me at Birdland” is OUT and available where ever you stream / download / purchase music.

NAMED BEST VOCAL ALBUM AND BEST LIVE ALBUM OF 2023 IN THE NYC JAZZ RECORD

Read the extensive feature interview in London Jazz News with Morgan Enos HERE.

“Meet Me at Birdland” featured on WBGO, read / watch the interview with DJ Brian Delp here.

“While Fulton is full of cheer and known for it, it's on heartfelt tunes such as "It's Been A Long Long Time" where she so earnestly unveils her intimidation factor-at once, she narrates two points of view as a singer and pianist, both without sacrifice.” - Broadway World

“Meet Me at Birdland will be a wonderful addition to any jazz vocalist collection. The live energy is captured on the recording, and Fulton’s phrasing is something special.” - Jazz Sensibilities

Champian featured on WBGO for “Meet Me at Birdland”

“On se souvient d’avoir découvert Champian Fulton en concert quelques années auparavant dans un club lyonnais qui a fermé depuis. Nous avions noté son aisance pianistique et ses capacités vocales pour le moins convaincantes. On la retrouve ici en trio, enregistrée en public au Birdland, avec les qualités précitées. Comme à son habitude, elle se permet des parties instrumentales où s’affirme son sens du swing et une approche personnelle fort bienvenue. Quand elle chante, elle le fait avec une précision et un savoir-faire qui la classe dans le panier des musiciennes de jazz accomplies. C’est toujours clair et concis, cela module à la perfection et le phrasé dans son ensemble est très efficace. Nous l’avons dit plus haut, elle sait ce que swinguer veut dire. Sa rythmique fait le job avec rigueur et détermination. Les soli sont tous de très bonne facture. C’est du jazz fait par des amoureux du genre et, ma foi, plutôt bien fait. On ne révolutionne pas le jazz dans cet album mais on le met en lumière avec habileté et goût. Cela parait toutefois normal car elle a été bercée au jazz par des parents musiciens qui avait pour pote des gens comme Clark Terry, entre autres. De quoi satisfaire bien des oreilles.” - Culture Jazz FR

“Meet Me at Birdland” proves that [Champian] has deservedly earned her place as a featured performer at one of the premier jazz clubs…” - Joe Lang, New Jersey Jazz Society

“The album captures the energy of a live recording, especially the depth of Fulton’s sensual vocal style and elegant piano playing.” - NiteLife Exchange

Champian featured on Neon Jazz

“No matter what song she takes on, Champian has fun, and her joy is infectious.” - Marc Myers, JazzWax

“Shows off Fulton’s playing and inventive phrasing.” - Downbeat

Featured in Broadway World: A 10 Video Retrospective of Champian

“Stylized singing brings out attitudes, manifested in distinctive pronunciation and note-stretching, evoking a few jazz and blues stars of yore–a blended homage…. and the trio dazzles with muscularity–going for fierce fleetness, not pastel pretty sweetness. So, as things build, the reaction is more a gasped "wow!" than an emotion-triggered sigh.” - Talking Broadway with Rob Lester

“Meet Me at Birdland” is DISQUE DU JOUR on TSF Jazz, Paris

“In addition to being an excellent piano soloist, Fulton is an outstanding self-accompanist. The recording levels put the piano and vocals on equal ground, which emphasizes the little motives she plays between phrases as well as the countermelodies she devises to support her vocals……With her wide-ranging repertoire and her engaging vocal and instrumental personas, Champian Fulton is playing an important role in the preservation of classic, swinging jazz.” - Tom Cunniffe, Jazz History Online

Champian in the Absolute Sound, 2023

“Her gentle yet knowing vocal sound is ideally suited to her choice of songs and she interprets lyrics with mature understanding.” - Bruce Crowther, Jazz Journal UK

“A sensational set from a consummate professional.” - Pierre Giroux, The NYC Jazz Record

5 STARS for music / 4.5 STARS for audio sound

“The smile on Champian's face floats through the speakers as you listen to this live recording! You hear the occasional amused giggle with the artist expressing her sense of joy in performance with bassist Hide Tanaka and drummer Fukushi Tainaka. Champian is equally an exceptional vocalist and pianist, and it can be surprising to realize she's doing both at once at such an elevated level of artistry.

Incredible multitasking, and she makes it sound casy! On the opening track "Too Marvelous for Words," it's a pleasure hearing the word "much" extended as she lingers and plays with the ending of the word. The whisper sound when she sings "Could you care?" in "I've Got a Crush on You" is breathtaking. There is such musical beauty when Champian sings and plays rubato verses before the trio breaks into collective tempo. Vocally there are kittenish swoops and bends which have become part of her vocal style. She drives the energy with the trio catching various rhythmic shots and motifs with glissandos, rolled chords, flourishes, and punches to lean into those swing grooves. A stunning arrangement of "Just Friends" begins as a ballad waltz and then digs into a punctuated swing groove. Champian is a charmer!” - Karin Plato, Absolute Sound

Meet Me at Birdland, recorded in September 2022 in the legendary club finally brought back to life, offers a striking contrast and proclaims the artist's need to physically reconnect with the public. In trio with her faithful Hide Tanaka and Fukushi Tainaka, the pianist-singer performs the standards (which come according to inspiration) with naturalness and again in total complicity with her partners. Or a Champian Fulton as we appreciate it, blossoming in the warmth of live performance and to the sound of applause. The swing is present from start to finish, the themes tastefully chosen (“Theme for Basie” by Phineas Newborn, “It's Been a Long, Long Time”, “I Don't Care” by Ray Bryant…) and the original by the singer, “Happy Camper” with Latin colors, is not to displease either.
Here are two more good records to be put to the credit of Champian Fulton, a musician of remarkable consistency. - Jérôme © Jazz Hot 2023

“While she displays a variety of influences (such as Dinah Washington and pianists Wynton Kelly and Red Garland), Ms. Fulton has always essentially sounded like herself” - Scott Yanow, the Syncopated Times

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Champian featured in the Norman Transcript (September 2023)

September 27, 2023  /  Champian Fulton

Champian poses outside her Oklahoma home with the Norman Transcript feature article.

A/E: Champian Fulton playing rare Oklahoma gig

by: Doug Hill , Local Columnist

Norman product Champian Fulton is comfortable flying by the seat of her britches.

The jazz vocalist and pianist really does not like having a set list of songs to follow when she’s on stage.

The 30-something has been performing since she was a teenager and knows how to read a room.

That lets her pick and choose what song to play next matching what Fulton believes the audience mood to be. She’ll be demonstrating that extraordinary talent along with her musical virtuosity at a show Sept. 29 in the University of Central Oklahoma Jazz Lab, 100 E. 5th St. Edmond.

Ticket information is available at ucojazzlab.com. It will be Fulton’s first concert in Oklahoma since 2016.

“I’ve been performing for so long that I have a pretty large repertoire,” Fulton said. “I like to have a lot of songs in rotation so I don’t get tired of them myself from playing the same things every night. But I actually don’t like to write out a set list before the show. I just like to go out there, play the first song and see what the audience is like and what they respond to more.”

Different folks may prefer ballads, instrumentals or tunes with vocals.

“My plan is to see what they respond to in the moment and make selections based on that,” she said. “It’s one of the most fun things about performing live, then each show is truly different. If I try to make a list of songs I want to play they may not go with the feeling in the room.”

Which begs the question, how do the other cats on stage, her bandmates, roll with that?

“I think that they may tell you sometimes that they would like a list,” Fulton said with a chuckle. “They might get nervous, you’re dressed-up on stage, the lights are on you and they’re looking at me like what’s happening. But they’re familiar enough with the tunes and they trust me. We love to do it that way.”

It hasn’t been so long ago that teenage Fulton was performing with a band at New York Pizza on Campus corner, often receiving compensation in pepperoni pies.

She’s come a long way since then, developing a career that’s made her an international jazz sensation.

Spring of this year found her on a nine-week tour of Western Europe. In the summer it was a series of gigs in Denmark.

This month, a weeklong residency at storied New York City jazz club Birdland. Later this year, 10 shows are scheduled in Bern, Switzerland.

Fulton’s latest recording “Meet Me at Birdland” has been submitted for Grammy nomination.

She’s not just a hit with jazz fans.

Since childhood Fulton has sought out, learned from and played with older jazz musicians including her father Stephen

Fulton which has undoubtedly contributed to her success.

She spoke to her genre being called “African American classical music.”

“As Art Blakey used to say, without America there’s no jazz,” she said. “Most if not all of my heroes were and are Black. I’ve been very fortunate to have met many of these folks over the years. Jazz really is about a community of musicians and those who work in the business, club owners and the audience. I really like being part of that.”

When Fulton moved from Norman to New York several years ago the opportunities were many. Her talent and vibrant personality made the Okie fit right in.

“I was so excited to see Jimmy Cobb and meet Louis Hayes and hang out with Lou Donaldson who I’ve become very good friends with,” she said. “I wanted then and now to be in that community.”

Fulton will be hosting bluesy American saxophone great Donaldson’s 97th birthday party this year. He’s known for historic collaborations with Thelonius Monk, Horace Silver and Philly Joe Jones.

“This will be my third year hosting Lou’s birthday party, we’re almost exactly 60 years apart in age,” she said. “It’s really exciting to be able to call up people like Sonny Rollins and invite them to a party at Dizzy’s Club in Lincoln Center.”

That’s some rarified air Fulton’s breathing but she values her red dirt roots.

“I feel so fortunate and blessed for the wonderful experiences I’ve had here in Norman,” she said. “I was born here, we moved away then came back when I was eleven which was when I was getting very serious about being a jazz musician. There were so many places to play here in Norman and so many good musicians. We would have jam sessions at the house and play. We’d play at New York pizza once a week with my band. The experience of getting to organize a gig, musically and business-wise was wonderful. People here were so supportive. We played Jazz in June and then worked up in Bricktown at Makers (Cigar and Piano Bar) three nights a week all through high school.”

Fulton’s had to disabuse notions some folks on the east coast have about her upbringing.

“When I tell people I’m from Oklahoma they say, oh really, there’s not a lot of jazz out there, but I tell them no, there are a lot of musicians where I came from,” she said. “I think it’s great here and actually rejuvenating right now.”

Fulton’s folks relocated their residence back to Norman from New York City in the last couple of years causing her to spend more free time here. It contributed to why she’s playing an Oklahoma show next week.

“At UCO-Jazz Lab I’ll be performing with a new trio of Steve Pruitt on drums and Tyler Jackson on bass,” Fulton said. “We’ll be playing quite a few tunes from my new album, my originals and a lot of jazz standards.”

https://www.normantranscript.com/news/a-e-champian-fulton-playing-rare-oklahoma-gig/article_b42b35da-5895-11ee-9446-d7323011c0c1.html

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© Champian Fulton