Champian Fulton: Birdsong

Rating: ★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Champian Fulton (p, v)

Label:

Champian Records

October/2020

Media Format:

CD

Catalogue Number:

CR003

RecordDate:

date not stated

This is Oklahoma-born pianist and vocalist Fulton's second album with Hamilton, building on their first encounter in Spain in 2017, and cemented on their European tour a year later which took in a very successful appearance at the Swanage Jazz Festival.

Fulton, already a lively presence on the [pre-Covid] touring circuit, is a strong piano soloist with an eclectic streak, a Rising Star in DownBeat, and an enterprising vocalist who can channel Sarah Vaughan or Blossom Dearie seemingly at will. She's Sarah-ish on Just Friends', Blossom-like on ‘Star Eyes’ and fine elsewhere. Her father Stephen joins her on three of these Bird-oriented themes – ‘Birdsong’ is a tribute to CP to coincide with the bop pioneer's centenary – and Champian opts for trio on two.

Otherwise it's Scott who accompanies and solos with his customary airy grace. Father Fulton is good for the ensemble themes on ‘Yardbird Suite’ and ‘Bluebird’ but is otherwise a somewhat tentative soloist, his daughter easily outpacing him for creativity. The standout tracks are the trio numbers, ’Quasimodo and ‘All God's Chillun’, the latter taken exhilaratingly fast, the ideas positively abundant, bassist Tanaka, known for working with pianist Junior Mance, the perfect anchor-man. Eleven tracks, vocals on most, but damn good piano when it matters. Look out for Ms Champian – she sings, and she swings.

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