At the heart of the evening is Champian Fulton — an acclaimed jazz pianist and vocalist whose artistry bridges jazz tradition, swing, and the Great American Songbook. Fulton leads her trio through a spirited program of joyous melodies and rich arrangements that capture the warmth and cheer of the season. Her work draws on decades of performance on major jazz stages and reflects a deep command of the jazz tradition, making this a holiday concert like no other.
Swinging in the Holidays brings together an extraordinary international ensemble whose collective credentials span Grammy recognition, major awards, historic big band legacies, and performances on the world’s most revered jazz stages. Led by internationally acclaimed pianist and vocalist Champian Fulton, Grammy Award-winning vocalist Carmen Bradford, and others, to be announced. Together, these artists represent multiple generations of jazz excellence — rooted in the Great American Songbook tradition while vibrantly alive in today’s global jazz landscape. Their combined experience includes performances at Lincoln Center, Birdland, The Kennedy Center, major international festivals, and concert halls across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. For this special holiday production at Kleinhans Music Hall, they unite in a swinging celebration that honors jazz’s rich legacy while delivering the joy, warmth, and sophistication that define the season.
Swinging in the Holidays celebrates the music that defined an era — from the swing classics of Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Nat “King” Cole, and Ella Fitzgerald to the nostalgic favorites that anchor our holiday memories — all re-imagined with sophistication, imagination, and joyful spirit.
This performance also coincides with the holiday release connected to the Flying High series, Flying High for the Holidays, produced by Fulton, further underscoring the evening’s blend of tradition and creative jazz interpretation. It is not simply a Christmas concert — it is a polished artistic celebration of rhythm, melody, and shared experience, presented in the magnificent acoustical setting of Kleinhans Music Hall.
