Telluride goes to Denver: Tia Fuller at Dazzle

19 Apr Telluride goes to Denver: Tia Fuller at Dazzle

"Tia Fuller’s sophomore release on Mack Avenue, "Decisive Steps," is a beautiful, musical journey. It has been a wonderful experience, watching Tia blossom from an eager music student in high school, to being known as one of the “up and coming” saxophonists and composers in the jazz world. Just like the Montgomery and Marsalis families, Denver’s Fuller Family is filled with talent and their musical roots run deep."
Susan Gatschet Reese
Assistant Program Director/On Air Host
jazz89 KUVO/KVJZ Vail

Telluride Inside… and Out has spent a whirlwind week in Denver. Friday evening we caught Tia Fuller's set at Denver jazz hotspot, Dazzle. Fuller was in town celebrating the recent release of her CD, "Decisive Steps" for the Mack Avenue label.

Susan and I found out about the show from our friend Susan Gatschet Reese, a player at the Denver jazz radio station, KUVO. Susan and her husband Arling are regulars at the Telluride Jazz Celebration, which is how we met. It was great to meet our friends to enjoy an evening of beautiful music.

Tia Fuller is a Colorado native, originally from Aurora, and though she now makes her home in New Jersey, it was old home week at Dazzle. Family and friends came out to hear her wail. They could not have been disappointed: the lady blows a mean alto, and the few times she broke out the soprano sax it was sweet enough to break your heart. Besides being a great solo artist, Fuller fronts a tight quartet.

One of the many highlights of the evening was right at the end of the set, when her father Fred took over on bass and younger brother Ashton sat in on drums, resulting in a Fuller family band (sister Shamie is Fuller's regular pianist). You know what they say about family dynamics in music: this one works. As good as the whole set was, we heard a slightly different, excellent voice when the family got together on the bandstand. Well done Tia, well done Fuller family.

Photos courtesy of Susan Gatschet Reese