SAXOPHONIST TIA FULLER CELEBRATES
HER NEW MACK AVENUE CD
DECISIVE STEPS
ON MAY 10 AT DIZZY'S CLUB COCA-COLA
On Monday, May 10, Mack Avenue Records alto/soprano saxophonist Tia Fuller will celebrate the release of her new CD, Decisive Steps, with shows at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola in Jazz At Lincoln Center. Fuller will be joined by her working quartet: Fuller's sister Shamie Royston (piano); Miriam Sullivan (bass); and Rudy Royston (drums). Set times are at 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm.
About Decisive Steps, Fuller states: "It's a continuation of Healing Space (her 2007 debut for the label), evolving from a stationary place of healing to steps of action. I've been in the mindset of really moving forward to the next level in my life, constantly being in the mindset of greatness, relentless in my pursuit and progressing with purpose by embracing my talents, recognizing my strengths and improving upon my weaknesses...but also in not being afraid of change; stepping forward in faith and not in fear."
Indeed, the ten tracks on Decisive Steps aurally illustrate Fuller's artistic fearlessness fulfilled by her agile, buoyant and elegant full-bodied sax lines effortlessly improvising a number of moods and grooves, as evidenced by the take-no-prisoners tempo of the title track. "The first track, 'Decisive Steps,' was one of the last songs that I wrote for the album," Fuller says. "This particular song is very intricate - it has a lot of hits and time changes, so compositionally, I wanted to portray a sonic representation of momentum; in moving forward, and really feature everybody in the quartet."
Fuller made the eventual move to New York, relocating to nearby Jersey City, arriving two days before September 11, 2001. Undaunted by the terrible times of that period, she forged ahead and played and recorded with some of jazz's brightest stars, including the Duke Ellington Big Band, Nancy Wilson, T.S. Monk, Don Byron, Brad Leali, Wycliffe Gordon, Mickey Roker, Ralph Petersen, Jon Faddis, Rufus Reid, Jimmy Heath, Gerald Wilson, Sean Jones, Charlie Persip, and Don Braden. Then, on June 17, 2006 she was hired by Beyoncé and performs regularly in her all-female band, Suga Mama.
Her teaching credentials are equally expansive and impressive. She has conducted numerous clinics and master classes at the middle, high school, and college levels, including: Jazz Institute of New Jersey, Aurora Public Schools, Mile High Jazz Camp, University of Colorado at Boulder, Miami-Dade Community College, Jazz Institute of New Jersey, Stanford Jazz Workshop, Drexel University, Montclair State University, Bloomfield College, and New Mexico State University.
About Decisive Steps, Fuller states: "It's a continuation of Healing Space (her 2007 debut for the label), evolving from a stationary place of healing to steps of action. I've been in the mindset of really moving forward to the next level in my life, constantly being in the mindset of greatness, relentless in my pursuit and progressing with purpose by embracing my talents, recognizing my strengths and improving upon my weaknesses...but also in not being afraid of change; stepping forward in faith and not in fear."
Indeed, the ten tracks on Decisive Steps aurally illustrate Fuller's artistic fearlessness fulfilled by her agile, buoyant and elegant full-bodied sax lines effortlessly improvising a number of moods and grooves, as evidenced by the take-no-prisoners tempo of the title track. "The first track, 'Decisive Steps,' was one of the last songs that I wrote for the album," Fuller says. "This particular song is very intricate - it has a lot of hits and time changes, so compositionally, I wanted to portray a sonic representation of momentum; in moving forward, and really feature everybody in the quartet."
Tia Fuller's jazz-rooted, genre-crossing artistry is the result of an arts-filled childhood. She was born in Aurora, Colorado to musician parents, bassist Fred and singer Elthopia, who both taught in the Denver Public School District. She grew up listening to Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan and Charlie Parker. She started playing classical piano at the age of three, inspired by her older sister, Shamie, and 
studied the instrument for ten years. She started playing the flute at the age of nine and began playing the saxophone, deepening her interest in middle school. In 1998, she graduated Magna Cum Laude at Spelman College in Atlanta (where she studied with the great saxophonist/educator Joe Jennings) and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music; graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a Master of Music degree, Jazz Pedagogy and Performance in 2000.
studied the instrument for ten years. She started playing the flute at the age of nine and began playing the saxophone, deepening her interest in middle school. In 1998, she graduated Magna Cum Laude at Spelman College in Atlanta (where she studied with the great saxophonist/educator Joe Jennings) and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music; graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a Master of Music degree, Jazz Pedagogy and Performance in 2000.Fuller made the eventual move to New York, relocating to nearby Jersey City, arriving two days before September 11, 2001. Undaunted by the terrible times of that period, she forged ahead and played and recorded with some of jazz's brightest stars, including the Duke Ellington Big Band, Nancy Wilson, T.S. Monk, Don Byron, Brad Leali, Wycliffe Gordon, Mickey Roker, Ralph Petersen, Jon Faddis, Rufus Reid, Jimmy Heath, Gerald Wilson, Sean Jones, Charlie Persip, and Don Braden. Then, on June 17, 2006 she was hired by Beyoncé and performs regularly in her all-female band, Suga Mama.
Her teaching credentials are equally expansive and impressive. She has conducted numerous clinics and master classes at the middle, high school, and college levels, including: Jazz Institute of New Jersey, Aurora Public Schools, Mile High Jazz Camp, University of Colorado at Boulder, Miami-Dade Community College, Jazz Institute of New Jersey, Stanford Jazz Workshop, Drexel University, Montclair State University, Bloomfield College, and New Mexico State University.
For press information, please contact:
DL Media · 610-667-0501
Steph Brown · steph@jazzpublicity.com
Become a fan of Tia Fuller on 
MACK AVENUE · the road to great music · www.mackavenue.com
19900 Harper Avenue, Harper Woods, MI 48225 · 313-640-8414 · 313-640-8415 fax
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