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A masterful saxophonist and composer possessing “the brilliance of a diamond” (DownBeat), Tia Fuller has divided her remarkable career into two full-time halves, as an accomplished and uncompromising bandleader and as a collaborator to the stars.

The Colorado-born Fuller was raised in a family of teachers with musical inclinations, beginning piano lessons at three and saxophone by middle school. She graduated Magna from Spelman and Summa from University of Colorado at Boulder before moving east, building a reputation as a fiery and soulful instrumentalist with Nancy Wilson, the Ellington Big Band, Ralph Peterson Jr., Dianne Reeves, and Jon Faddis. She began her career as a bandleader in 2005 with her debut release Pillar of Strength, and was noticed by R&B megastar Beyoncé, who called on Fuller to join her all-woman band, resulting in a six-year partnership that included multiple world tours. The saxophonist served a three-year stint on the road with bassist, singer and composer Esperanza Spalding’s Radio Music Society band, and participated in drummer Terri Lyne Carrington’s Mosaic and Money Jungle projects, while lending her tenor to four albums with former SFJAZZ Collective trumpeter Sean Jones’ working group. Fuller has issued four superb releases on the Mack Avenue label, including her 2018 session Diamond Cut—her first in six years—featuring appearances by Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette, Adam Rogers, Carrington, Sam Yahel, James Genus, and Bill Stewart.