The Breeze and I - Champian Fulton
A Gut String Records CD
By: David Wilson - Apr 24, 2010
The Breeze and I
Champian Fulton
Gut String Records
Vocals and piano by Champian Fulton
Neal Miner - Bass
Fukushi Tainaka - Drums
As is the custom of other recordings released by Gut String Records "The Breeze and I" was recorded live, the musicians playing together and listening to the mix without headphones. This clearly works well when those musicians are thoroughly familiar with each other and sensitive to each other’s strengths and weaknesses though few of the latter are apparent in this outing.
Unlike those to whom Champian is most often compared, Sassy Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Carmen MacRae, Champian is primarily an instrumentalist and her vocal stylings are an enhancement to her playing. This is not to disparage her singing in any way.
On this album, comprised of thirteen songs, seven of which feature vocals by Ms Fulton, I was struck by several observations.
While I tend in general to be more attentive to lyrics and vocalizations than to instrumental accompaniment. even on first listening to this album, I found myself drawn into her keyboard phrasing. Champian who looks angelic, plays as if there are demons within her, but they are inventive and interesting demons.
Her collaborators, Miner and Tainaka, seem to be so tuned into her that without being obtrusive or indulgent, they always provide the right touch and a soft landing platform for her forays into flights of keyboard aerobatics. There were any number of times where I thought she might get lost, but she never did, led back to the beat and melody by these two.
All the songs on this compilation are classics, by writers to be found on any honor roll of composers.
I especially enjoyed the intimacy of Champian’s vocals on ‘Say It Isn’t So", "I’m Confessing", "I Can’t Face The Music" and "If I had You." With that said however, there is not a track here that does not call to be heard again.
If you have any interest in jazz stylings, piano or vocal, "The Breeze and I" is a release that deserves your attention. I think most of you will like it a lot. I do.
For samples of all tracks;
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ChampianFulton2
For Champian’s myspace page;
http://www.myspace.com/champianfulton
For Champian’s website