Berklee Professor Brings Soul Music to Life
24/12/2020
Fuller is the saxophonist behind the music of Dorothea Willams, a character in Pixar's new film, Soul. The character, voiced by the legendary actress Angela Bassett, is a renowned musician who leads a jazz quartet. The film, which also stars Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Questlove, Phylicia Rashad, and Daveed Diggs, tells the story of a band teacher who becomes separated from his body, then finds himself in the Great Before, a world where souls get their personalities before coming to Earth.
Soul will be available to stream exclusively on Disney+ starting Friday, December 25. We recently talked to Fuller about her role in the new film. Edited excerpts from the conversion are below.
How did you get this gig? I received a call that Pixar was looking for a woman to play the saxophone for the animated movie that was coming out. I then spoke to the director at Pixar about details, and she told me that this character is a Black woman who is a powerhouse and top jazz saxophonist in New York that every musician wants to play with.
I had another performance that I had committed to at Princeton University the same weekend of the Pixar taping. But, luckily, I was able to switch it around (thanks for your flexibility, Rudresh Mahanthappa).
What does it mean to you to be the sound of Dorothea Williams music, and to be involved in this film? I am so humbled and honored to be the sound for Dorothea Williams. First off, as a Black woman, I recognize that I am standing on the shoulders of those Black women who have come before-in history and in her-story of jazz music. Black female instrumentalists who have helped shape, mold, and define what we know as jazz today, such as: Mary Lou Williams, Viola Vi Burnside, Elvira Vi Redd, Ernestine Tiny Davis, Lil Hardin Armstrong, Clora Bryant, and the list goes on and on.
Children will now grow up to see that it's not taboo to see a Black woman play the saxophone...and that jazz...is as cool as the popular music of today.
-Tia Fuller
To be the saxophonist for a Black woman in this film is to say that representation is imperative-that diversity and inclusivity amount to deconstructing marginalizing views and reconstructing a more accurate account of our strength and influence in society and music.
With this film, children will now grow up to see that it's not taboo to see a Black woman play the saxophone, or an Asian woman play the bass or trombone, and that jazz is deeply embedded into the fabric of our music history and is as cool as the popular music of today. It will also reacquaint our children with musical instruments and the importance of live music, since many schools have eliminated music programs.
When I travelled to L.A. to record for this film, Pixar hadnt yet decided who was going to be the voice of Dorothea Williams. Ironically enough, I had a chance to meet Angela Bassett on the red carpet at Clive Davis's Grammy Party in 2019. I was excited to later find out that she was the voice for Dorothea Williams, the quintessential image for a voice for a powerful and regal character. What an honor!
Is this your first role in an animated feature? What were some of the most challenging and surprising aspects of the experience? This was my first time performing in an animated film, and, to be completely transparent, of all of the playing situations that I have been in, I was most nervous about this one. You walk into your recording booth knowing that whatever you played was representing a voice for a Pixar film. And, not only was I recording with the great Roy Haynes, Jon Batiste, Linda Oh, Marcus Gilmore, but there was a room of Pixar directors listening to every note that we played to shape this movie.
One of the most surprising elements of this recording was seeing how Pixar are masters of minutia, purpose, and patience. Upon stepping into the studio, the team was so warm and inviting. As I was setting up my horn, they came in and were setting up the microphone and video cameras. One video camera on my face and body and another on my fingers. They said that they were videotaping my actual fingerings, so that the animated character will play the exact same fingerings. They did this with every single instrument in the studio, and it's amazing to see the end result.
Something else that caught me by surprise is that Pixar changed Dorothea's character and saxophone to emulate my image. Initially, they had a brown-skinned Black woman with a high bun and a bandana playing the tenor. But upon seeing the trailers, I saw the character shift to a darker-skinned mid-sized Black woman, with mid-length curly hair (how I had my hair at the time), playing an alto saxophone with a Vandoren mouthpiece and ligature. They were impeccable with details of all our body movements and motions.
It's extraordinary to know that Pixar had a diverse committee of Black artists and consultants to help construct the authentic cultural narrative of Soul. I want to thank the entire team, which included my good friend, Berklee's own Terri Lyne Carrington, as well as Herbie Hancock, Questlove, and Dr. Johnnetta Cole, the former president of Spelman College, my alma mater, to name a few.
Related categories:
News
Related Reading
Alum Notes: Spring 2020 The most recent news from your classmates.
Berklee Announces Spring 2020 Signature Series This semesters concerts highlight pop with a twist, along with the music of the African diaspora, the Middle East, and more.
Ganz , Dizi, or Sitar Thoughtfully incorporating the music and in
LINK: | https://www.berklee.edu/news/berklee-now/berklee-professor-brings-soul... |
See more stories from berklee |
More from Berklee
25/04/2024
Berklee Student Riko Sasaski Named 2024 Yamaha Young Performing Artist
Berklee Student Riko Sasaski Named 2024 Yamaha Young Performing Artist The accomplished saxophonist secured a spot among the elite winners of this year's ...
24/04/2024
Berklee Online to Hold 2024 Berklee Onsite Music Conference May 31-June 1
Berklee Online to Hold 2024 Berklee Onsite Music Conference May 31-June 1 The in-person conference is open to Berklee Online students and the music community ...
18/04/2024
Krisha Marcano Announced as Dean of Theater for Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Krisha Marcano Announced as Dean of Theater for Boston Conservatory at Berklee The theater educator, choreographer, and performer will join Boston Conservator...
18/04/2024
Berklee's Yoon-Ji Lee Receives Guggenheim Fellowship
Berklee's Yoon-Ji Lee Receives Guggenheim Fellowship Lee, an assistant professor of composition, creates music based on unconventional and nonlinear struc...
17/04/2024
Simone Pilon Appointed Executive Director at Berklee Valencia
Simone Pilon Appointed Executive Director at Berklee Valencia Pilon, who has served as Berklee Valencia's interim executive director since March 2023, has a...
17/04/2024
FINNEAS and Ashe Talk Confidence and Collaboration in the Music Industry
FINNEAS and Ashe Talk Confidence and Collaboration in the Music Industry Days before his sister Billie Eilishs new album announcement, producer and songwriter...
12/04/2024
Youssou NDour to Receive Honorary Doctorate at Berklee Valencia's 2024 Commencement
Youssou NDour to Receive Honorary Doctorate at Berklee Valencia's 2024 Comme...
12/04/2024
Berklee and Electronic Arts Celebrate Annual EA Day
Berklee and Electronic Arts Celebrate Annual EA Day The second annual EA Berklee Day celebrated women in the screen scoring industry and presented the Electro...
11/04/2024
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Honor LaChanze and Lar Lubovitch at Commencement Ceremony
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Honor LaChanze and Lar Lubovitch at Commenceme...
11/04/2024
Berklee Hosts Leading Artists and Entertainment Pros at Annual Career Jam
Berklee Hosts Leading Artists and Entertainment Pros at Annual Career Jam Grammy-winning producer and singer-songwriter FINNEAS and hitmaker Ashe BM 15 headli...
10/04/2024
Ledisi, Q-Tip, and Gilberto Santa Rosa to Receive Honorary Doctorates at Berklee 2024 Commencement
Ledisi, Q-Tip, and Gilberto Santa Rosa to Receive Honorary Doctorates at Berklee...
05/04/2024
Berklee Honors Three Outstanding Artists at Alumni Achievement Awards
Berklee Honors Three Outstanding Artists at Alumni Achievement Awards Natalie Toro, Gustavo Borner, and Mark Kelley were recognized for their achievements in ...
05/04/2024
Berklee's Africana Studies Department to Host its First Annual Symposium
Berklee's Africana Studies Department to Host its First Annual Symposium The inaugural event will feature scholar, political commentator, and author Dr. E...
04/04/2024
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Present Five Iconic Works at Spring Dance Concert: Limitless
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Present Five Iconic Works at Spring Dance Conc...
04/04/2024
Morton Subotnick Named 2024 Herb Alpert Visiting Artist for Electronic Production and Design Department
Morton Subotnick Named 2024 Herb Alpert Visiting Artist for Electronic Productio...
03/04/2024
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Present Four Iconic Works at Spring Dance Concert: Limitless
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Present Four Iconic Works at Spring Dance Conc...
03/04/2024
Berklee's Signature Series Presents Gospel Extravaganza 2024
Berklee's Signature Series Presents Gospel Extravaganza 2024 Gospel singer and composer Bishop Hezekiah Walker will be among this year's inductees int...
30/03/2024
Celebrating Women's History Month with Berklee and Spelman College Students
Celebrating Women's History Month with Berklee and Spelman College Students Idriemeka Bailey and Madyson S. McSwain open up about their experiences in the...
29/03/2024
Student Spotlight: Bethanie Liu
Student Spotlight: Bethanie Liu The electronic musician shares how Berklee helped shape her desire to be a songwriter and arranger into something that incorpo...
28/03/2024
Boston Conservatory to Present Center Stage Production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Huntington
Boston Conservatory to Present Center Stage Production of A Midsummer Night'...
27/03/2024
15 Latin Artists Who Became Musical Idols
15 Latin Artists Who Became Musical Idols Listen to iconic Latin musicians across genres in this playlist and read about how they've influenced Berklee st...
22/03/2024
Berklee, A3 Communication, and the Gnaoua and World Music Festival Launch Berklee on the Road Program
Berklee, A3 Communication, and the Gnaoua and World Music Festival Launch Berkle...
19/03/2024
What Is Dembow? Tracing the Roots of a Global Phenomenon
What Is Dembow? Tracing the Roots of a Global Phenomenon The story of the dembow beat, which can be found in reggaeton, hip-hop, pop, and far beyond, speaks t...
19/03/2024
Berklee's Roger H. Brown Jr. Building Honored by Boston Society for Architecture
Berklee's Roger H. Brown Jr. Building Honored by Boston Society for Architec...
19/03/2024
Applications Open for 2024 Berklee at Umbria Jazz Clinics
Applications Open for 2024 Berklee at Umbria Jazz Clinics The 39th edition of the program will be held from July 9-21. By Callista Chan March 21, 2024 Ima...
14/03/2024
Berklee Career Jam Concert Showcases Student Artists for Music and Entertainment Industry
Berklee Career Jam Concert Showcases Student Artists for Music and Entertainment...
14/03/2024
BPMI to Host 22nd Annual Showcase at Brighton Music Hall on April 17
BPMI to Host 22nd Annual Showcase at Brighton Music Hall on April 17 The Berklee Popular Music Institute will showcase performances from six rising stars who ...
08/03/2024
Berklee Presents the Michael Jackson Ensemble: Human Nature
Berklee Presents the Michael Jackson Ensemble: Human Nature The Signature Series concert honors the King of Pop, surveying the entirety of his iconic career. ...
07/03/2024
Bruce Hornsby Is Still Seeing What He Can Get Away With
Bruce Hornsby Is Still Seeing What He Can Get Away With Since The Way It Is, the visionary songwriter has made his mark on so many genres. His latest, Deep Se...
06/03/2024
Student Spotlight: Mehrpouya Daneshvar
Student Spotlight: Mehrpouya Daneshvar The clarinetist from Iran talks about discovering a love for Iranian classical music and how coming to Berklee has allo...
02/03/2024
Applications Open for Berklee in Puerto Rico 2024
Applications Open for Berklee in Puerto Rico 2024 Registration is open now through April 11. By Colette Greenstein March 1, 2024 Students perform at Berklee...
01/03/2024
Student Spotlight: Shivaraj Natraj
Student Spotlight: Shivaraj Natraj The vocalist, konnakol beatboxer, and percussionist reflects on his musical journey from Oman to India and beyond, and how ...
01/03/2024
Berklee to Present American Master Award to Arturo Sandoval
Berklee to Present American Master Award to Arturo Sandoval Berklee will recognize the Cuban-American legend's legacy and impact on jazz and Latin music. ...
28/02/2024
Announcing the 2024 Issue of STAGES Magazine: Future Proof
Announcing the 2024 Issue of STAGES Magazine: Future Proof This issue takes a deep dive into how a Boston Conservatory education lays the foundation for futu...
28/02/2024
40 Years Later, Thriller's Grammy Sweep Still Resonates
40 Years Later, Thriller's Grammy Sweep Still Resonates Professors Lil John Roberts and Mimi Jones, part of the team leading the upcoming Michael Jackson ...
27/02/2024
The Rubin Brothers Bring Circus Spectacle to American Idol
The Rubin Brothers Bring Circus Spectacle to American Idol Berklee alum Colescott Rubin and his brother, current student A.J., rode unicycles and sang about lov...
24/02/2024
Berklee International Hip-Hop Symposium Spotlights Local Artists, Entrepreneurs
Berklee International Hip-Hop Symposium Spotlights Local Artists, Entrepreneurs SAMMUS, DJ Troy Frost, and DJ WhySham are among featured guest speakers for th...
22/02/2024
Berklee's Signature Series Celebrates Vibraphone Master, Composer, and Educator Joel Ross
Berklee's Signature Series Celebrates Vibraphone Master, Composer, and Educa...
17/02/2024
Boston Conservatory Dance Students Perform in New Music Video by Pop Artist Piao
Boston Conservatory Dance Students Perform in New Music Video by Pop Artist Piao The video for Neopet features choreography by commercial dance major Sofia ...
17/02/2024
Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Five Organizations
Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Five Organizations A total of $25,000 will be distributed amongst the Boston-based nonprofits. By Co...
14/02/2024
Cecil Adderley Named President-Elect of the National Association for Music Education
Cecil Adderley Named President-Elect of the National Association for Music Educa...
14/02/2024
Cecil Adderley Named President of the National Association for Music Education
Cecil Adderley Named President of the National Association for Music Education The chair of Berklee's Music Education Department will serve as NAfME's...
14/02/2024
Berklee's Signature Series Presents Great American Songbook: Night and Day-A Celebration of Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
Berklee's Signature Series Presents Great American Songbook: Night and Day-A...
09/02/2024
Sounds of Black History at Symphony Hall
Sounds of Black History at Symphony Hall Boston Conservatory Orchestra will showcase works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Margaret Bonds, Valerie Coleman, and ot...
09/02/2024
Berklee Valencia Alumni Recognized at the Grammy Awards
Berklee Valencia Alumni Recognized at the Grammy Awards Carla Patullo, Gracie Laboy, and MT Aditya Srinivasan took home awards on musics biggest night. Febr...
09/02/2024
Lee Berk Tribute Concert Honors Legacy of Music Education Pioneer and Former Berklee President
Lee Berk Tribute Concert Honors Legacy of Music Education Pioneer and Former Ber...
07/02/2024
Berklee Abu Dhabi Music Summit Aims to Empower Aspiring Artists
Berklee Abu Dhabi Music Summit Aims to Empower Aspiring Artists The third annual event will focus on essential music business principles that enable creatives...
06/02/2024
Boston Conservatory at Berklee's New Music Festival Highlights Original Student Works
Boston Conservatory at Berklee's New Music Festival Highlights Original Stud...
05/02/2024
Berklee Alumni and Faculty Win at the 2024 Grammy Awards
Berklee Alumni and Faculty Win at the 2024 Grammy Awards Laufey, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Miguel Zen n, and Carla Patullo were among the winners of musi...
02/02/2024
Vimbayi Kaziboni Wins Prestigious Ditson Conductor's Award
Vimbayi Kaziboni Wins Prestigious Ditson Conductor's Award The Boston Conservatory faculty member joins a group of legendary conductors who have received th...