Tia Fuller
Like many musicians’ careers, Tia Fuller’s had a modest beginning: Her first gig was at a fish fry in southern New Jersey. But the saxophonist and composer has come a long way since then. She has since been a member of Beyoncé’s band, recorded four albums and performed for President Obama.
Fuller’s performance Thursday at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center has many students excited to see a fresh face in jazz.
“As a listener and someone that appreciates her artistry, I can tell that she’s very technically aware, but at the same time you can hear the soul that she puts behind her melodies and her harmonies to make sure that the audience feels something,” said Chelsey Green, a professional musician and viola performance doctoral candidate. “And especially as a musician myself, that’s something that I value and appreciate when I hear other artists offering that of themselves.”
“She’s an extraordinary player as one of the emerging greats on the saxophone, and she has a very unique tone on the instrument,” added Bobby Asher, senior associate director of the Artist Partner Program at The Clarice. “She has a really open spirit. Her recordings are always very fresh-sounding and energetic, and she’s really kind of coming into her own as a band leader.”
While visiting the University of Maryland, Fuller will also be teaching a master class for jazz musicians. The Clarice makes a point of fostering the next generation of creative talent, Asher said, and the students and faculty recognize Fuller as one of the leaders of that generation.
“For every performance that we do, we try to make sure that these great artists that we’re bringing to campus get a chance to share their advice and information that makes them great with our students,” Asher said. “These interactions with visiting artists are really a supplement to the great work that our professors do with these students. One of the most important parts of a music education, or any education, is interacting with the masters in your field.”
In addition to performing, Fuller is a professor at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Green, a former student at Berklee, once ran into Fuller at the college, and though she was a little starstruck, she did have the opportunity to introduce herself and compliment Fuller on her musical artistry.
“She’s so easily fluent between technical jazz and can just go right into Beyoncé’s Top 40 masterpieces, and it’s effortless,” Green said. “That’s something that’s really exciting and attractive about her musicianship.”
Fuller’s performance at The Clarice Thursday is another installment in the jazz series the center is offering.
“Our jazz series has sort of a relaxed, intimate space,” Asher said. “We make it into sort of a cabaret space with tables and chairs, and you can really get an experience like you would at an intimate jazz club.”
While other students and staff in the university’s music school expect a large part of the audience to be fellow music students, both Green and Asher emphasized that this performance is one that anyone can enjoy, regardless of musical tastes or education.
“Her artistry helps Beyoncé’s show be what it is,” Green explained. “It’s great to take a couple hours of your night and get to see her as a feature and just really appreciate that artistry as well.”
Tia Fuller will perform at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center tonight at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Student tickets are $10.
