Biography
Pianist Shamie Royston has built a reputation as a skilled interpreter whose harmonically intricate post-bop jazz approach stands out. A longtime collaborator with trumpeter Ron Miles, she first gained notice in the late 1990s as a sought-after musician within Denver’s jazz community. She has earned recognition through her contributions to the group led by her sister, saxophonist Tia Fuller, including appearances on the 2010 release Decisive Steps and the 2012 album Angelic Warrior. Royston frequently directs ensembles alongside her husband, drummer Rudy Royston, and the pair released Beautiful Liar in 2018.
Born Shamie Fuller in Denver, she was raised with her sister Tia in a household shaped by both music and academic pursuits. Their parents, both public school teachers, included a father who performed on bass and a mother who sang; the sisters encountered jazz early and eventually performed with their parents in the family group known as the Fuller Sound. During her teenage years she participated in the Telluride Jazz Camp, later refining her technique through studies at the University of Denver. There she received guidance from trumpeter Ron Miles while co-leading the hard bop group Jaq Nouveau alongside her sister. Following her undergraduate work she married drummer Rudy Royston and pursued a master’s degree, a period that also found her joining Miles on Cream drummer Ginger Baker’s 1999 recording Coward of the County.
Although the Roystons enjoyed abundant artistic prospects in Denver, they moved to New Jersey so Rudy could complete his master’s degree at Rutgers University. Since the relocation Shamie Royston has become an active performer and educator throughout the New York and New Jersey region. Beyond directing her own groups she has collaborated with trumpeter Miles and additional figures such as Christian McBride, Lonnie Plaxico, Ralph Peterson, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Allison Miller. She remains a consistent participant in Tia Fuller’s ensemble and has received notice for original works commissioned by institutions including the Jazz Philharmonic at New York’s Penfield School District, Berklee College of Music in Boston, Metro State College in Denver, and the Colorado Music Education Association Conference.
Her first recording as a leader arrived in 2014 with the trio album Portraits, featuring husband Rudy on drums, bassist Ivan Taylor, and vocalist Camille Thurman. She followed in 2018 with her second album, Beautiful Liar, again including her husband along with saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, trumpeter Josh Evans, and bassist Yasushi Nakamura.
Born Shamie Fuller in Denver, she was raised with her sister Tia in a household shaped by both music and academic pursuits. Their parents, both public school teachers, included a father who performed on bass and a mother who sang; the sisters encountered jazz early and eventually performed with their parents in the family group known as the Fuller Sound. During her teenage years she participated in the Telluride Jazz Camp, later refining her technique through studies at the University of Denver. There she received guidance from trumpeter Ron Miles while co-leading the hard bop group Jaq Nouveau alongside her sister. Following her undergraduate work she married drummer Rudy Royston and pursued a master’s degree, a period that also found her joining Miles on Cream drummer Ginger Baker’s 1999 recording Coward of the County.
Although the Roystons enjoyed abundant artistic prospects in Denver, they moved to New Jersey so Rudy could complete his master’s degree at Rutgers University. Since the relocation Shamie Royston has become an active performer and educator throughout the New York and New Jersey region. Beyond directing her own groups she has collaborated with trumpeter Miles and additional figures such as Christian McBride, Lonnie Plaxico, Ralph Peterson, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Allison Miller. She remains a consistent participant in Tia Fuller’s ensemble and has received notice for original works commissioned by institutions including the Jazz Philharmonic at New York’s Penfield School District, Berklee College of Music in Boston, Metro State College in Denver, and the Colorado Music Education Association Conference.
Her first recording as a leader arrived in 2014 with the trio album Portraits, featuring husband Rudy on drums, bassist Ivan Taylor, and vocalist Camille Thurman. She followed in 2018 with her second album, Beautiful Liar, again including her husband along with saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, trumpeter Josh Evans, and bassist Yasushi Nakamura.
Albums
