Live at birdland, New York
Champian Fulton & Klas Lindquist’s Chemistry to Light Up Birdland with Nonet Debut
International Jazz stars Champian Fulton and Klas Lindquist are set to captivate Birdland Jazz Club with their exhilarating nine-piece Nonet, debuting every Sunday in October 2025. Fresh off their critically lauded duo album At Home (Turtle Bay Records, May 2025), hailed as “a conversation of high art” by GRAMMY-winning historian Ricky Riccardi, Fulton and Lindquist are elevating their artistry with this new project. The whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts in this setting: in addition to featuring Champian’s soulful piano playing and singing and Klas’ elegant saxophone and clarinet playing, the Nonet features Klas’ creative arranging style as inspired by their musical collaborations. Expect big-band grandeur infused with the intimacy of a late-night jam session—a sound that brims with energy and allure.
Klas Lindquist has been arranging for and leading his award-winning Swedish Nonet for nearly 20 years; their most recent recording “Alternative Source of Energy” was hailed as the Best Swedish Jazz Album in 2023 by the readers of OrkesterJournalen, one of the oldest Jazz publications in the world. With Champian as his collaborator, Klas has written over 10 new arrangements and compositions to feature the pianist / vocalist, including a beautiful version of Willie Nelson’s “You Were Always on My Mind.” The Nonet is already much in demand: they will be recording an album in early 2026 and Champian will be debuting the music in Florence Italy in November of this year with the famed conductor Duccio Bertini.
Featuring bright new artists such as Sam Dillon (tenor sax), Frank Basile (bari sax), Alex Norris & David Sneider (trumpets), Robert Edwards (trombone), Klas Lindquist (alto sax, clarinet, and arranger), Champian Fulton (piano and voice), Mike Karn (bass), and Aleksi Heinola (drums), the Nonet gives each musician plenty of space to stretch out but also spotlights Champian singing at the piano in nearly every arrangement. This arranging style is inspired by Klas’ heroes Duke Ellington and Thad Jones.
Champian Fulton, hailed as “a charming young steward of the mainstream jazz tradition” (The New York Times), and Klas Lindquist, praised for his “technical brilliance, imagination and style” (Göteborgs-Posten), bring their unparalleled chemistry to this project. Their Nonet performances mark a bold new chapter, experience the music every Sunday in October at Birdland in NYC.
Performance Details:
Dates: Every Sunday in October 2025 (October 5, 12, 19, 26)
Venue: Birdland Jazz Club, 315 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036
Showtime: 5:30 PM
Tickets: Available at www.birdlandjazz.com or at the door, subject to availability