Low lights and a sultry combination of magenta, fuchsia and violet lighting provided the ambiance for the evening. A glance around the room showed an audience of seasoned listeners: a mature, diverse crowd of jazz enthusiasts. At center stage, donning a shimmering purple sequin dress and fishnet stockings stood the quartet's leader, Tia Fuller. The Tia Fuller Quartet starred in a four-day run at the UC Davis Mondavi Center Wednesday through Saturday, sponsored by the Capital Public Radio Studio Jazz Series. Fuller emits a raw charisma, sassiness, an uncanny edginess and outright star quality onstage. She picked up her saxophone and began to play her first set. The opener "Decisive Steps,

Tia Fuller and the Fuller Quartet are scheduled to perform at the UC Davis Mondavi Center tonight through Saturday, with daily show times at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $19 to $38. The group’s recent accolades include the chart-topping album “Decisive Steps,” ranked No. 1 and touting the nomination for best jazz album in Jazz Week. Fuller made time in her demanding schedule to speak with The SacPress to give audiences a glimpse into the heart and soul of this jazz sensation. Fuller's passion for music is literally “in her blood” — the gifted saxophonist hails from a family of musicians. She said it is this personal connection that is the source for her inspiration. She is a musician with

“A spiral is in every direction—it is without a beginning or an end.” – Richard Mayhew, artist   One can infer from Mayhew’s perspective that a spiral, in essence, is infinite. It knows no boundaries of time or space. It penetrates existence. However, he’s not strictly speaking about a concept found in physics, or existentialism. This is “heavy art,” a fusion of spirituality and intellect. It is an explanation of an inextricable link between art, creation and its existence. The Crocker Art Museum, in conjunction with Evolve the Gallery, featured artist Richard Mayhew for the museum’s “Icons In Conversation” program on Saturday. Mayhew was a member of the 1960s artist collective the Sp

What do you know about your family tree? In the age of technology, much has been made possible, especially in the field of genetics. We watch our high-definition televisions and see a commercial advertisement for ancestry.com or africanancestry.com. Suddenly, we begin to wonder about our own family tree - the gaps of missing information, the unrecorded years and disappearances of family members. We then ask ourselves that question. “What do I know about my family history?” Monday, May 9, the University of California, Davis Humanities Institute presented the “Distinguished Speakers Series,” featuring the renowned scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The evening lecture, held in the Monda

“Art with a Twist” is the theme for Thursday nights at the Crocker Art Museum. The new “Open Art” series held every fourth Thursday offers an array of programming ranging from performances to cultural exchanges. Last Thursday the museum hosted a special lecture with a different approach to modern perceptions of dance, music and art. “The Africanist Aesthetic in Performing and Visual Arts: A Talk by Dr. Halifu Osumare” was presented in collaboration with the Kuumba Collective Art Gallery and the Sacramento Chapter of The Links, Inc. Osumare, an associate professor of African American and African studies at UC Davis and author of “The Africanist Aesthetic in Global Hip-Hop Power Moves,” d