April 2010

Aurora native and graduate of the University of Colorado, saxophonist Tia Fuller was raised in a musical household and began her career as part of the renowned Front Range ensemble, The Fuller Sound fronted by her father, bassist Fred Fuller. Our April Jazz Appreciation Month selection is the latest recording by Tia, “Decisive Steps” for the Mack Avenue label.

Following her upbringing Tia has included family members as players and music contributors, her sister Shamie Fuller-Royston is the pianist/keyboardist while brother in law Rudy Royston is at the drums. Moreover, her choices for other band members are impressive led by label mates bassist Christian McBride and trumpeter Sean Jones. Tia’s preferred saxist and principle influence, past master Cannonball Adderley shines brightly in the soulful sounds that come out of her alto and soprano saxophones.

When not on a jazz stage jamming with standouts like Gerald Wilson, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, T. S. Monk, Wycliffe Gordon and others, Tia is the Music Director for the all-female backup band for Beyoncé. Ms. Fuller’s second outing for Mack Avenue contains 8 originals compositions and 2 standards of which “I Can’t Get Started” has received an outpouring of rave reviews ranking it as possibly the best rendition of it ever! No wonder it’s one of the most played CDs on jazz radio, nationally and around the world.

Tia Fuller’s “Decisive Steps” is an outstanding album destined to become a classic and has brought her much deserved attention by the jazz community of musicians, writers and presenters. No doubt about it, Tia has taken huge strides towards her goal of achieving greatness making all of us along the Front Range extremely proud!