coming winter 2026
The Story
Flying High For The Holidays celebrates the jazz canaries , the female vocalists who rose to fame with big bands in the 1940s and ’ 50s , and whose voices helped shape the sound of holiday music during the golden age of jazz . Celebrating legendary vocalists such as Ella Fitzgerald , Billie Holiday , Peggy Lee , Lena Horne , Rosemary Clooney , and Jo Stafford , Flying High honors the women who made traditional seasonal songs and turned them into the timeless favorites we still love today .
Carmen Bradford Olivia Chindamo
What They’re Saying
2024 JazzBuffalo Poll winner of “Favorite Memorable International Jazz Performance”
About FLYING HIGH show:
“There were too many lovely moments to count” Broadway World (Rebecca Kaplan)
“ … it’s impossible to be bored by Fulton’s singing. ” — NY ’ s NiteLife Exchange
“ ...audiences can feel like as if they are taking part in something timeless, one-of-a-kind, and memorable” Voice Magazine (Jesse Caverly)
About FLYING HIGH albums:
If an anthology of really hip girl singers is to your taste, look no farther…this recording is a serious pleasure…A tribute to canaries is long overdue. And this one is excellent. And sexy too. — All About Jazz (Richard Salvucci)
“Any library that supports jazz pedagogy should jump at the chance to acquire this wonderful album” CD HotList (Rick Anderson)
“Each "canary" captures the spirit of that genre...Champian's art shows through on the whole program. ” WDCB Radio, Chicago
The Music
Dreamers Holiday - Champian Fulton
Winter Wonderland - Emily Braden
Silver Bells - Nicole Zuraitis
The Man with the Bag - Carmen Bradford
Warm in December - Molly Ryan
Love Turns Winter to Spring - Olivia Chindamo
December - Champian Fulton
Happy Christmas - Emily Braden
Little Jack Frost Get Lost - Oliivia Chindamo
What are you Doing NYE - Klaus Lindquist
I’ve Got my Love to Keep Me Warm - Nicole Zuraitis
By the Fireside - Molly Ryan
Christmas Love Song - Champian Fulton
Compilation also includes:
Klas Lindquist (saxophone)
Neal Miner (bass)
Charles Ruggiero (drums)
Fukushi Tanaka (drums) and very special guest
Buster Williams (bass)
Nicole Zuraitis
The Artists
These talented musicians have been part of the live performances and/or the Flying High albums to date
Champian Fulton
Music Director and Lead Piano/Vocals
Gretje Angell - Vocals
Elizabeth Bougerol - Vocals
Carmen Bradford - Vocals
Olivia Chindamo - Vocals
Laura Anglade - Vocals
Tahira Clayton - Vocals
Alex Frank - Bass
Mike Gurrola - Bass
Lezlie Harrison - Vocals
Willie Jones III Drums
Jane Monheit - Vocals
Ekep Nkwelle - Vocals
Nicholas Payton - Trumpet
Ken Peplowski - Clarinet
Vanessa Perea- Vocals
Imani Rousselle - Vocals
Charles Ruggiero - Drums
Bria Skonberg - Vocals
Jerry Weldon - Saxophone
Buster Williams - Bass
Nicole Zuraitis - Vocals
Emily Braden
Champian Fulton
Music Director and Lead Piano/Vocals
With 19 albums to her credit, CHAMPIAN FULTON is considered one of the most gifted pure jazz musicians of her generation, being called “an assured vocalist with a galvanizing presence, ” by The New Yorker and “a charming young steward of the mainstream jazz tradition” by The New York Times. She has performed with musical royalty such as Lou Donaldson, Frank Wess
Scott Hamilton, Buster Williams, and Louis Hayes. (Her first paid musical engagement was with her own band at Clark Terry’s 75th Birthday Party; she was 10 years old)
Champian is a Yamaha and Birdland Artist.
Suzanne Waldowski
Songbook Ink - President Songbook Ink - President
Jazz at the Ballroom - Executive Director Jazz at the Ballroom - Executive Director
Suzanne Waldowski is the founder and executive director of Jazz at the Ballroom and the founder of Songbook Ink, two closely linked ventures dedicated to preserving and celebrating classic jazz and the Great American Songbook.
Her work began in 2014, when she moved into the original Bing Crosby estate in Northern California and started hosting concerts in its long-unused ballroom. Those gatherings quickly evolved into Jazz at the Ballroom, which became a nonprofit in 2017 with a mission to share classic jazz and foster community through live performance. Songbook Ink grew alongside this work as a boutique record label and music-inspi d h di b d t di th reach of Jazz at the the two organizatio gacy of the American S oday.
Contact Info
ROBERTA LAWRENCE SOUNDCHECK PR
Mobile: (917) 929-4910
roberta.soundcheckpr@gmail.com
Jazz at the Ballroom and Songbook Ink work in partnership to celebrate and preserve the American Songbook and classic jazz through live performance, recorded music, and inspired merchandise.
JAZZ AT THE BALLROOM presents dynamic live jazz shows that bring the Great American Songbook to life. Through concerts, workshops, and community engagement, the organization showcases world-class musicians in intimate and unique venues, keeping timeless jazz traditions vibrant and accessible.
SONGBOOK INK is a boutique record label and music-themed merchandise brand that channels the spirit of classic jazz into curated releases and thoughtfully designed products. With its vintage-inspired aesthetic and artist-focused approach, it offers fans new ways to enjoy and support the music they love.
Together, these two ventures ensure that the sound, style, and legacy of the American Songbook continue to thrive for new generations.