30th Anniversary Jazz Brunch
Sunday, July 27 Noon
Born in Norman Oklahoma in 1985, Champian Fulton has been recognized as the “most gifted pure jazz singer of her generation” (Mark Stryker, Detroit Free Press) and “a charming young steward of the mainstream Jazz tradition” (Nate Chinen, The New York Times). A Jazz pianist and vocalist for more than 20 years, she has performed in 25 countries and counting, both in concert and on television. Her work has been recognized by the industry in the NYC Jazz Record for Album of the Year (2018, 2023), by Hot House Magazine for Pianist and Vocalist of the Year (2019), and repeatedly by the Jazz Journalists Association Awards and Downbeat Critics Polls.
Champian began her career at age 10, performing for jazz legend Clark Terry’s 75th Birthday Party. Since then, she has appeared on stage with jazz royalty like Lou Donaldson, Frank Wess, Scott Hamilton, Nicholas Payton, the WDR Jazz Orchestra, Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton, Buster Williams, Jimmy Cobb and Louis Hayes who performed for her senior recital at SUNY Purchase College. After moving to New York in 2003, she began performing at Birdland where she has regularly appeared for over 20 years. In 2023 she and Birdland celebrated their longtime friendship with the release of Meet Me at Birdland, hailed by NYC Jazz Record as Best Vocal Album of the year.
In demand worldwide, Champian has appeared at the San Fermines Festival in Pamplona Spain, Tangier Jazz Festival, Opera House in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Tongyeong Opera House in South Korea, Lincoln Center, and San Diego Symphony Hall. She also performed in the Emmy-nominated TV special Take Me Back to Manhattan, recorded at the Carlyle Hotel. Her passion for “passing it on” has seen her serving on the faculties of the Rutgers Jazz Institute and Litchfield Jazz Camp.
Since her debut record release in 2007, she has released 18 albums, many of them featuring Champian her father trumpeter and flugelhornist Steven Fulton, distinguished guests. Birdsong featured drummer Scott Hamilton; Live From Lockdown, a duo with her dad, commemorated their pandemic livestream series; Sings and Swings featured saxophonist Eric Alexander; After Dark with drummer Lewis Nash honored the music of Dinah Washington; and the two-disc set The Stylings of Champian features her longtime working band of 20 year— Fukushi Tainaka on drums, Hide Tanaka on bass and Stephen Fulton on flugelhorn. Her recent project, Flying High in collaboration with Jazz at the Ballroom has Champian as a pianist and artistic director accompanying six vocalists performing standards of the big band era.
Her July 27 Litchfield Jazz Festival appearance celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the festival with her outstanding music and a splendid Jazz Brunch. This marks Champian’s fourth performance for Litchfield Jazz. She will sing and play piano with her Trio mates drummer Fukushi Tainaka and bassist Hide Tanaka beginning at noon in the Festival Party Tent.