Champian Fulton Trio

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Champian Fulton Trio

Bemelmans Bar, NYC, August 7, 2016

Reviewed by Marilyn Lester for Cabaret Scenes

Champian-Fulton-Cabaret-Scenes-Magazine_212Performing in a piano bar successfully takes a certain skill – an ability to authentically connect with patrons, despite a penchant of some to wander off into their own conversations. The trick is to be fully engaged with the music, and that Champian Fulton is.

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The singer/pianist and her two sidemen, Chris Berger on double bass and Ron Afiff on guitar, were having a whale of a time as they launched into their set and tripped through the music with élan. Fulton, with her appealing smile, is a genial presence at the keys. She has a captivating voice, demonstrated in the 1923 standard, a nicely phrased “I Cried for You (Now It’s Your Turn to Cry Over Me)” (Gus Arnheim/Abe Lyman/Arthur Freed). A sprightly “Baubles, Bangles and Beads” (Robert Wright and George Forrest, based on Borodin) followed, in which Afiff, fingers flying, coaxed some sounds from his guitar that seemed to magically call in other instruments.

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Fulton’s voice is paradoxically girlish and yet holds an earthy come-hither quality, most apparent on “What a Difference a Day Made” (Maria Grever, with English lyrics by Stanley Adams), which evoked images of slow dancing in darkly romantic settings. A swinging, airy rendition of “All of Me,” the 1931 standard by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons, especially showcased the contrapuntal ability of Afiff to soar into improvisation and then land in sync with Fulton’s melody. Berger, who chiefly anchors with a meditative bass line, also got to demonstrate a few licks of his own wizardry. All three musicians presented a harmonious and splendid instrumental in a slightly Latinized version of that gem of a song, “Smile” (Charlie Chaplin’s melody from 1936 with John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons’ lyrics added in 1954).  Near the end of the set, with “Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)” (Jimmy Davis/Roger Ramirez/Jimmy Sherman) and “East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)” (Brooks Bowman), it was clear the trio was really cooking.

Champian Fulton plays a clear, solid straight-ahead jazz piano. In her repertoire of standards she’s joyfully anchored in a style that’s pure, unmannered swing. She is a superb steward of America’s own music at its best, and that’s a very welcome proposition.

Marilyn Lester

Marilyn Lester left journalism and commercial writing behind nearly two decades ago to write plays. That branch in the road led to screenwriting, script-doctoring, dramaturgy and producing for the stage. Marilyn has also co-authored, as well as edited, books. It seemed the only world of words she hadn’t conquered was criticism, an opportunity that presented itself via Theater Pizzazz. Marilyn has since sought to widen her scope in this form of writing she especially relishes. Marilyn is a member of the Authors Guild, Dramatists Guild, Women in the Arts and Media and The League of Professional Theater Women.