Tia Fuller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tia Fuller
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Tia Fuller, Moers Festival 2011
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| Background information | |
| Born | March 27, 1976 Aurora, Colorado, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, educator |
| Instruments | Saxophone |
| Labels | Mack Avenue |
| Associated acts | Beyoncé, Nancy Wilson, Sean Jones, Ralph Peterson, T.S. Monk, Jon Faddis, Kit McClure Band |
Tia Fuller (born March 27, 1976) is an amazing American musician. She plays the saxophone, writes music, and teaches others. You might know her as a member of the all-female band that toured with the famous singer Beyoncé.
Tia Fuller also teaches music at the Berklee College of Music. This is a very well-known school for musicians. She was even a special jazz musician in Pixar's animated movie Soul. In the film, she played the alto saxophone for the character Dorothea Williams. The way Dorothea Williams looks was inspired by Tia Fuller. The character's voice was done by actress Angela Bassett.
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Tia's Early Life and Music
Tia Fuller was born in Aurora, Colorado. Her parents, Fred and Elthopia Fuller, were both jazz musicians. Her dad, Fred, played the bass guitar, and her mom, Ethiopia, was a singer.
Tia started playing classical piano when she was just three years old. She grew up listening to her parents practice music at home. She also listened to famous jazz artists like John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan, and Charlie Parker.
She studied classical piano for ten years. When she was nine, she started playing the flute. In high school, she picked up the saxophone and became very interested in jazz music. Tia's sister, Shamie Royston, is also a talented jazz pianist. Shamie often plays in Tia Fuller's band.
Tia's Musical Journey and Education
Tia began playing the saxophone at Gateway High School. After that, she continued her music studies at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. There, she learned from a great teacher named Joseph Jennings. While at Spelman, she even had the chance to perform with the legendary musician Ray Charles.
In 1998, Tia graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music. She earned high honors, which is called "magna cum laude." Later, in 2000, she earned her Master's degree in Music from the University of Colorado at Boulder. This degree focused on how to teach and perform jazz music.
Tia's Exciting Career
Tia Fuller has played with many famous jazz artists. Some of these include Esperanza Spalding, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Nancy Wilson. She has also performed with groups like the T.S. Monk Septet.
Tia also leads her own band, called a quartet. Her quartet includes her sister Shamie Royston on piano, Kim Thompson on drums, and Miriam Sullivan on bass. They have recorded several albums together. These albums include Pillar of Strength, Healing Space, and Decisive Steps.
In 2006, Tia became a member of the all-female band that toured with the global superstar Beyoncé. This was a huge opportunity and showed her amazing talent to a wider audience.
In 2012, she toured with Esperanza Spalding. Tia played the saxophone in the horn section for Esperanza's Radio Music Society band. She would play her saxophone in a musical conversation with Esperanza's scat singing.
In 2019, Tia Fuller recorded music for The Walt Disney Company's movie Soul. She worked with other incredible musicians like Roy Haynes and Jon Batiste for the film's soundtrack.
Tia's 2019 album, Diamond Cut, was nominated for a Grammy Award. This is one of the highest honors in music! The album was produced by Terri Lyne Carrington, who Tia says is one of her mentors.
Besides performing, Tia is also a dedicated educator. She teaches at the Berklee College of Music, helping new musicians learn and grow. She was also an artist in residence at the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, sharing her music and knowledge.
Tia's Albums
Here are some of the albums Tia Fuller has released as the main artist:
- Pillar of Strength (2005)
- Healing Space (2007)
- Decisive Steps (2010)
- Angelic Warrior (2012)
- Diamond Cut (2018)
She also appeared on a holiday album:
- It's Christmas on Mack Avenue (2014)
Tia has also played on albums for other artists, including Sean Jones and Nancy Wilson.
