Champian Fulton: At Home

Champian Fulton is just fun to hear, no question. There are so many singers and, Heaven knows, even more pianists, so finding one who never really disappoints is no small feat, especially after nearly 20 recordings. Paired here with Stockholm-based reed player Klas Lindquist, Fulton sings and plays her way through various 'songbook' material that bubbles with enthusiasm, not to say chops. Fulton has a kind of coy relation to the beat—sometimes right there, sometimes not, but that makes her work even more lively. Precisely because she is a bit unpredictable and unexpected, even with familiar tunes, not to say warhorses, Fulton makes for enjoyable listening. For example, someone once called "Bésame Mucho" maybe the worst song ever written (was it Harry Reasoner on CBS' "60 Minutes?"), but Fulton (and Lindquist, actually the lead voice) somehow rescues it from whatever oblivion it deserves. She takes "You Can Depend on Me" a bit more casually than some have, but remains believable. The instrumental version of "My Monday Date" is compelling, joyful even, because she is joined by Lindquist.

Lindquist is a talent in his own right, switching between clarinet and alto sax without missing a beat. And just when it seems many alto players are going to be sharp, for whatever reason, Lindquist plays stubbornly in tune. He is not all over either horn, but he plays cleanly and with feeling, boppish, but swinging, and with tasteful restraint. He and Fulton make a good combination: they get your attention from the get-go and hold it. "Just the Thought of You" is a splendid example of their collaboration: voice, clarinet and piano. Lindquist plays a lovely solo, sincere and reflective. And then Fulton completes his thoughts at the keyboard.

Listening to a recording out of sheer enjoyment—an unplanned treat when there may be other matters more pressing—well, the results do speak for themselves.

This is then a pleasant discovery of sorts. If calling jazz 'in the tradition' is a compliment, so be it. At Home. was recorded in a living room, and that comfortable feeling never leaves it. It may not be a challenging recording, but it is certainly a good and entertaining one. Who could, as the song says, ask for anything more?

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