Zan Stewart in the Newark Star Ledger (October 2007)

Champian Fulton's father, jazz trumpeter and educator Stephen Fulton, had a unique way of introducing his daughter to jazz: He played alto giant Charlie Parker's famed recordings with strings on a daily basis from the time she was in the womb until she was one year old.

"Bird and strings was the first sound I ever heard, and the only music he played me for a year," says Norman, Okla., native Fulton, 22, a rising New York City-based jazz artist who describes herself as "a piano player who sings more than a singer who plays piano."

"After a year, my dad added in Bud Powell, Count Basie, Duke Ellington," she says. Later came singers such as Dinah Washington -- "I love her let's-get-down-to-business voice, her confident attitude" -- and Sarah Vaughan: "I like the way she improvises with the melody."

Fulton -- whose debut CD, "Champian," with David Berger & The Sultans of Swing (Such Sweet Thunder), is just out -- sings Tuesdays in October with Berger at Birdland in New York. She also sings with the band, and will do some trio numbers, on Oct. 20 at the Berrie Center at Ramapo College, Mahwah.

Parker remains prominent in Fulton's life, a life that has included leading a "little kids band" at age 9 to numerous appearances in the NYC/NJ jazz environs.

"He's my hero," she says. "I listen to him every day, and I've transcribed some of his things," including the classic blues, "Parker's Mood," and his dash through "I Got Rhythm" chord changes, "Kim."

Fulton's chief influences come through clearly on the CD, which has moments of bebop modernism, and moments of plain swing-era fun. Despite her youth, she's an authentic jazz artist, one who knows the music and can swing.

The singer, whose Web site is www.champian.net, digs into a wealth of material with Berger, who heard her at Birdland in 2006 when she was doing early-evening sets, and who asked her to join his band soon thereafter. On tap might be a moving ballad such as "This is Always," a "barnburner" like "Just One of Those Things," or a fun, finger-popper such as "Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens."

"I love singing in front of a big band, that wall of sound," she says. "And the guys in our band are dedicated to music. It's a good vibe."

Fulton stays busy. She has a trio with bassist Neal Miner and drummer Fukushi Tainaka that works steadily in New York, and she also performs with saxophonist Alex Stein and bassist Joe Bussey every Sunday at Teak on the Hudson in Hoboken.

"I love to play music wherever, and for whomever, I can," she says. "I just want to keep doing it, do it more, and I would love to travel."

Zan Stewart is The Star-Ledger's jazz writer. He is also a musician who occasionally performs at local clubs. He may be reached at zstewart@starledger.com or at (973) 324-9930.