| Tia Fuller | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 27, 1976 |
| Origin | Aurora, Colorado, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupations | Musician, Composer, Bandleader, Educator |
| Instruments | Saxophone |
| Labels | Mack Avenue |
| Associated acts | Beyonce, Nancy Wilson, Sean Jones, Ralph Peterson, T.S. Monk, Jon Faddis, Kit McClure Band |
| Website | www.tiafuller.com |
Tia Fuller (b. March 27, 1976 in Aurora, Colorado) is a saxophonist, composer, and educator is a member of the all-female band touring with R & B star, Beyoncé. As a bandleader, Fuller has released three albums: Decisive Steps, Pillar of Strength and her debut album on the Mack Avenue Records label, Healing Space.The dynamic saxophonist has been featured in Jazz Improv Magazine, Rocky Mountain News, Philadelphia Tribune, The Star-Ledger, Down Beat magazine and many other print and online publications. In addition to receiving numerous awards and marks of distinction, as an educator Fuller was honored to be the keynote speaker at the Jazz Institute of New Jersey’s 2003 graduation ceremony, where she presented her “Journey to Success” speech.
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Fuller was born in Aurora, Colorado to jazz musicians, Fred and Elthopia Fuller. Her father, Fred plays bass and her mother, Elthopia sings. She grew up listening to her parents rehearse in the basement of their home, as well as the music of jazz greats, such as John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan and Charlie Parker.
Inspired by her older sister, Shamie Royston a great composer in her own right and wife of the drummer Ruddy Royston, Fuller began playing classical piano when she was just three years old and continued until she was thirteen. She also began studying the flute when she was nine. Her interest in jazz came into fruition in high school. It was during this time that she began playing the saxophone.
After high school, Fuller continued her musical education at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia under the tutelage of Joseph Jennings. While there she had the distinct honor of playing with the late great Ray Charles and honed her skills in Atlanta's hottest jazz clubs. In 1998, she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and later went on to complete her Master’s degree in Jazz Pedagogy and Performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
In terms of jazz, Fuller can be seen performing regularly with a number of bands, including the Ralph Peterson Septet, the T.S. Monk Septet, the Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra, the Rufus Reid Septet, the Sean Jones Quintet and the Nancy Wilson Jazz Orchestra.
However, her greatest exposure to the musical world came in 2007 when she was selected to be a member of the all-female band touring with R & B star, Beyoncé. As part of the Beyoncé Experience World Tour promoting the superstar’s B’Day CD, Tia played in various venues throughout the US, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. She is a featured soloist on the Beyoncé Experience DVD (Me, Myself and I) and also appeared on number of major television shows, such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Today Show, Good Morning America, BET Awards, American Music Awards and Total Request Live.
An accomplished performer in her own right, Fuller has recorded two CDs with her quartet which currently features Shamie Royston on piano, Kim Thompson on drums, and Miriam Sullivan on bass. The first, Pillar of Strength (2005/Wambui), received praise as being "an exhilarating work that introduced her as a leader who strives for perfection"by Terrell Holmes of All About Jazz Magazine. Her sophomore release, Healing Space (2007/Mack Avenue), is an offering of “melodic medicine” for those who indulge in it, was her debut album on the jazz label Mack Avenue Records. Healing Space featured some lesser known musicians such as Sean Jones, Ron Jones and Kahlil Kwame Bell, but made up for it with strong compositions from Fuller and Royston.
Fuller moved to Jersey City, New Jersey two days before the September 11 attacks. Despite the fact that the jazz community believed there was not much work in the area during that period, she was not discouraged and used the tragic event as a reason to succeed. She got her first gig playing in a big band at a fish fry in South Jersey. Brad Leali, who was playing in the Count Basie Orchestra at the time, spread the word that Fuller was a skillful saxophonist who also played the flute. This brought her to the attention of others in the jazz community, including Gerald Wilson, Jimmy Heath, Don Braden and Don Byron, which led to her performing with a number of luminaries in the world of jazz.
As a devoted educator, she presents lectures and teaches ensembles and masterclasses at some of the most respected institutions in the country, including Stanford University’s“Jazz Workshop,” the University of Idaho’s Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, New Mexico State University, the IAJE Jazz Convention, Purchase College, WBGO’s “Children in Jazz” Series, Duquesne University and Panama Jazz Festival.
In 1998, Fuller graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor's degree in music from Spelman College, and went on to obtain a master's degree in Jazz Pedagogy and Performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder.