FLYING HIGH

STILL SOARING

Songbook Ink

Champian Fulton, piano/vocals; Buster Williams & Neal Miner, bass; Charles Ruggiero & Fukushi Tainaka, drums; Carmen Bradford, Nicole Zuraitis & Tahira Clayton, vocals; Bria Skonberg, vocals/trumpet; Klas Lindquist, alto saxophone/clarinet.

In 2024, I first received an album to review by “Flying High” called “Big Band Canaries Who Soared.”  That work was a tribute to the superb female vocalists of the big band era. The album celebrated those voices who helped enhance the sound of big band jazz, with a spotlight on female singers.

This follow-up project is executive produced, by Susan Waldowski, who asked the Champian Fulton’s trio to return and infuse this album with their awesome talent. Bria Skonberg kicks it off with a swinging arrangement of “S’posin.’”  It not only features her vocals, but also her trumpet talents.  This is a song that has been covered and recorded by canaries like Helen Forrest, Maxine Sullivan, Jo Stafford, Helen Humes, Keely Smith, Sarah Vaughan, Doris Day and Anita O’Day. Champian Fulton’s fingers fly over the piano keys as she and Skonberg’s trumpet trade fours during this arrangement.

Carmen Bradford, who spends much of her time touring with the Grammy Award Winning Count Basie Orchestra, appeared on the first Flying High project. She returns and swings hard on both “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” and “Lullaby of the Leaves.” Bradford is a vocal powerhouse.

Tahira Clayton impresses with her interpretation of “Swing! Brother, Swing!”  backed competently by Champian Fulton’s very capable trio. Klas Lindquist is dynamic on Alto saxophone, comping in all the right places and playing his own impressive, improvised sax solo.

The Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne song, “It’s Been a Long, Long Time” has experienced a resurgence of popularity in the current younger music community. It was quite popular on radio broadcasts back in 1945, after World War II, originally recorded by Harry James and his Orchestra. Historically, it reached the number one spot on the popular Billboard Charts. Bria Skonberg’s sweet, soprano tone is featured.

Swedish reedman, Lindquist, is soloist on the instrumental rendition of Benny Goodman’s “If Dreams Come True.”  He blows his bluesy alto saxophone with smooth tonal quality and traditional swing energy.  Ms. Champian shows off her piano chops during this quartet presentation.

This album closes with the emotional rendition of “Sentimental Journey” sung by 2025 Grammy Award winner, Nicole Zuraitis. She and Carmen Bradford remain two of the most captivating singers on the planet. On this project, they are joined by the equally talented pianist, vocalist, and bandleader, Champian Fulton. Also, adding to the talent pool is in-demand New York singer, Tahira Clayton, and vocalist Bria Skonberg who’s also a mean trumpeter.  “FLYING HIGH” is a reminder of great songs, former great ladies of song, and current outstanding female jazz vocalists.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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