Champian Fulton at Foundry 616. The US jazz singer and pianist displayed her considerable talents at Foundry 616, Sydney’s jazz club on Harris Street on Friday night. If she had just performed as either a singer or a pianist Champian would have been really entertaining. The fact that she combines both so well is very impressive.
Champian’s singing follows the mainstream tradition but with her own interpretations. Her phrasing, diction and dynamic range keep you enthralled for the whole performance. To give a sense of her style, when Champian was young she dreamt of playing with Art Blakey. She was also moved by Dinah Washington’s rendition of Darn That Dream, which she passionately covered in her first set.
A highlight of the night was Champian’s playful interactions with the band. She allowed the musicians ample time to entertain and display their fantastic skills and seemed to genuinely enjoy their input and performances. The band featured New York based Nick Hempton on tenor sax and Foundry 616 regulars Andrew Dickeson on drums and Ashley Turner on bass.
The night opened with a classic, East of the Sun (and West of the Moon), and was followed by a fantastic display of musicians pushing themselves to the limit of how fast they can play on I Cried for You. It was a great way to warm up on a cold wet night and get the crowd going. Also featured in the first set was Champian’s own composition and a tribute to Art Blakely, Lullaby for Art. Andrew Dickeson rose to the challenge with some excellent brushwork. As jazz often does so well the sultry and sexual was brought to the fore in her version of Black Velvet.
Second set highlights included a soulful account of Noel Coward’s Mad About the Boy and for fans of Meet Me in St Louis they performed The Boy Next Door. There was some self-deprecating humour about how many songs she sang with “boy” in the title. Continuing in a similar vein were I Hadn’t Anyone Till You and My Future Just Passed.
There is an opportunity to catch Champian Fulton’s warmth and joie de vivre tonight, 8th September, at Foundry 616, 616 Harris St. Ultimo. [Facebook] It is highly recommended.