Champian is named Best Vocalist and Best Pianist at the Hot House Readers Jazz Awards Ceremony, held at Birdland Jazz Club on November 24. Fukushi Tainaka was also named Best Drummer!!
Thank you for nominating and voting! YOU’RE the best!
Pianist/vocalist Champian Fulton hails from New York City, NY. She is a newer artist here at Sunset Jazz at Newport, now in the tenth season of this outdoor series. She is well-known for her jazz work, even though newer to us here in CA. She has a very good following and many fine credits throughout her career. Her trio had a strong rhythm section with Mike Gurrola (bass) and Kevin Kanner (drums). Special guest was Andy Martin on trombone. Good friend, Terence Love (Steamers), suggested to Joe Rothman and John McClure after hearing Ms. Fulton that they should definitely do a booking of her for the series. This concert was very well attended. The outdoor concerts have a special significance and natural ambiance that is enjoyed by all attending.
Wednesday evening, July 31, 2019, Fulton’s group brought an excellent tune, “Day by Day” for an impressive beginning. Her touch on the piano is very definite and accentuated. Trombonist Andy Martin, added greatly with his playing, blending excellently with the trio. Continuing, she sang a sweet number, “I Cried for You,” backing herself on piano and with the trio as well. The rhythm section, Gurrola and Kanner, was tight! This was the first time these two have performed together. Fulton’s voice is illustrious. She expresses the lyric with passion and pizzazz. A moving bass solo by Gurrola played well and got much applause. Kanner’s drumming, with shared 8 bar breaks, also received notable applause.
A favorite of Fulton’s is “Lollypops and Roses.” Her lovely full chords filled this number nicely. Martin’s trombone also made this tune shine.
The trio, only, played another tune of Fulton’s favorite and her composition, “Lullaby for Art,” a medium up-tempo gem that drove forward impressively. She is an interested fan of late-great Art Blakely’s jazz music.
Other tunes for this set were: “Mad About the Boy” and “Traveling Light,” a Dinah Washington staple.
The second set began with “You Turned the Tables on Me.” Fulton shows a definite ‘stride’ effect in her piano playing. It is sturdy and very evident in many tunes she performs. The song,“Baubles, Bangles and Beads,” is a longtime 1953 standard from the musical “Kismet.” Fulton’s voice is wonderful. The melodies are Alexander Borodin’s. Her version was very smooth and a delight for her audience this evening. She continued with “Darn That Dream,” excellent rendition and beautiful trombone work, again, from Andy Martin. Concluding this two set show were: “”Somebody Stole My Gal,” an upbeat creation and a big drum solo by Kevin Kanner. Featuring bassist Mike Gurrola, doing a start of bass lines for “All of Me,” Fulton sang this one, then added her own piano accompaniment, then Kanner (drums) and Martin (T-Bone) moving through this beautiful number. Gurrola’s bass lines were “right in the pocket” for the entire tune. Last two closing tunes were, first, a Eubie Blake number, “I’d Give a Dollar for a Dime.” Martin was showcased with his fine trombone backing along with Fulton’s ‘stride’ piano playing fashioned in this piece. The final number was “It’s All Right with Me,” (Cole Porter), for the trio and guest trombone master, Andy Martin. The Champian Fulton group received a well-deserved standing ovation.
This show was a definite success.
Please visit Fulton’s website: www.champian.net. I am hopeful she will be able to perform again another time at Sunset Jazz at Newport. This was the fourth of eleven concerts for the tenth year anniversary for this marvelous series. Check this website regularly: www.sunsetjazzatnewport.com.
By Glenn A. Mitchell
Private Lessons with Champian
Study Jazz piano, Jazz singing, improvising, Jazz history etc with Champian in the privacy of your own home via Skype (or FaceTime). ALL instruments and levels welcome. To schedule your lesson, please email Champian (champian.fulton@gmail.com)
Lessons are $125 for one hour and must be paid in advance of scheduled lesson.
Click the purchase button below and then we will find a date and time!
What music would you wish you had if you were stranded on a desert island? Discover Champian’s picks as she joins Alisa Clancy on KCSM to discuss her favorite music and more in this hour long interview.
The interview opens with music from Champian’s latest release, “The Stylings of Champian” —> check that out here.
Not all these records are readily available on streaming services!! If you need help finding more information about any of the records listed here, write to Champian on facebook / twitter / instagram
Thank you KCSM!!! Support your local Jazz radio station!
Champian’s Favorite Music Featured in this Interview:
1) Woody Shaw - “Spiderman Blues” from Setting Standards
2) Red Garland - “Almost Like Being in Love” from Red Garland’s Piano
3) Freddie Hubbard - “the Things We Did Last Summer” from The Hub of Hubbard
4) Dinah Washington - “Show Time” from Compact Jazz Dinah Washington
5) Charlie Parker - “Just Friends” from Bird with Strings
6) Dexter Gordon - “Tangerine” from Tangerine
7) Erroll Garner - “I’ve Got the World On a String” from The Original Misty
8) Sphere - “Quasimodo” from Bird Songs (Sphere: Charles Rouse on tenor, Kenny Barron on piano, Buster Williams on bass and Ben Riley on drums)
Other Recommended Listening from Champian’s Desert Island
Count Basie - “You Can Depend on Me” from the Complete Decca Recordings
Clark Terry - “Angel Eyes” from Clark After Dark
New York City based Pianist & Singer Champian Fulton has restarted her blog! Read about Jazz, touring life, music industry tips and more.
The most recent post discusses her time in Copenhagen this past March. Check it out and subscribe so you don’t miss a post!
https://champianfulton.wordpress.com/2019/04/16/dexter-gordons-copenhagen/
Pianist and vocalist Champian Fulton returns to the show to discuss her 10th album, The Stylings of Champian. In this interview, Champian talks about her very busy touring schedule and how she maintains it; the band reunion that led to the new album; her approach to selecting repertoire; and more. Learn more and find tour dates at http://www.champian.net/, and listen to her previous appearance on The Jazz Session here.
http://thejazzsession.com/2019/04/15/the-jazz-session-478-champian-fulton/
Catch Champian on tour this spring as she celebrates the release of “The Stylings of Champian”, her 10th and most celebrated release yet. Tour stops include London, Barcelona, Paris, Vancouver, Vienna and more.
Use #ChampianLive to share your pics and videos on all social media platforms!
For tickets & info visit www.champian.net/schedule
Champian is thrilled to announce a 30+ concert spring tour celebrating her new album, “The Stylings of Champian”. Named one of the Top 5 Albums of the Year (2018) by the NYC Jazz Record, “the Stylings of Champian” is a 2 disc set featuring Champian’s spin on many Jazz classics including “I Only Have Eyes for You”, “Lollipops and Roses” and a great arrangement from Buster Williams of “I DIdn’t Know What Time It Was”. Ken Dryden (All About Jazz) writes: “There are some surprises as well, such as her romp through Oscar Peterson’s “Blues Etude” and soulful setting of Cedar Walton’s lesser-known “Martha’s Prize”. It’s easy to understand how she has grown a loyal fan base with outstanding efforts like this release. “ Champian will also be performing several concerts with famed saxophonist Scott Hamilton in Switzerland and France.
“Her vocal style is a unique amalgamation of the straight-ahead and the experimental, alternately declamatory and lyrical, off-beat and swinging, devoted to the song itself and determined to express her uniqueness–imagine listening simultaneously to Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone singing the same song.” -CD Hot List "