Tia Fuller.

While the conventional wisdom is that the technical demands of jazz will prepare a musician trained in the genre for any type of gig, that isn’t always the case. Often those who try to straddle the line between jazz and pop, either end up overplaying or going totally “smooth.” Saxophonist Tia Fuller is an example of a musician who can play both sides, leading her burning straight-ahead quartet while also playing with platinum-selling superstar Beyoncé. Fuller’s approach is simply one of understanding her role in the band.

“When I am playing with Beyoncé, my main purpose is to be a part of the horn section and the three of us functioning as one voice,” said Fuller. “Whereas being a leader for my quartet, my main role is to function as a soloist and lead voice.”

A native of Colorado, Fuller was born into a family of accomplished jazz musicians. Her father is a bassist, her mother is a vocalist and her older sister is a pianist. Fuller started on the piano at the tender age of three, but it was in high school that she found her true calling as a jazz saxophonist. After earning an undergraduate degree from Spelman College and a graduate degree from the University of Colorado, Fuller moved to the New York area just days before 9/11. Undaunted, she worked her way to playing gigs with leading musicians such as saxophonist Jimmy Heath, clarinetist Don Byron and vocalist Nancy Wilson.

Fuller’s big break came in 2007, when Beyoncé called her to join a smoking all-female band. While those mega-tours put her on stage in huge arenas on a nightly basis, Fuller has always maintained her jazz roots. She has released three albums as a leader, with 2010’s Decisive Steps being the most recent. This weekend, she will lead her quartet at the historic Bohemian Caverns. During our recent interview with Fuller, we asked whether it was hard to go from playing in front of tens of thousands to playing in a small jazz club.

“Yes, the excitement and rush that you feel of playing in front of that amount of people can be addictive,” Fuller explained. “Whether it be 20,000 or 20 people, transferring of energy, love and inspiring each other, to me, that’s where it’s at.”

Inspired by her parents, who are both retired administrators of Denver’s public school system, Fuller has also established herself as a dedicated jazz educator. She has taken residencies, given lectures and conducted workshops at some of the country’s best music programs.

“Playing is teaching and teaching is playing. It is our job as musicians to educate, even if it is on the bandstand,” said Fuller.

Joining Fuller this weekend will be an all-female group of her own design. Shamie Royston is not only a talented composer and pianist in her own right, but she also Fuller’s sister. Bassist Mimi Jones has performed with Fuller for the past 10 years and has played on all of her recordings, and it was through Jones that Fuller recruited drummer Shirazette Tinnin.

All-female ensembles can be a double-edged sword. Though they give voice to an underrepresented community within jazz, they might also underscore divisions that should not exist in the first place. Fuller does not see this as a problem.

“You resolve the tension by staying honest with who you are, with what you represent and through mentorship of young men and women,” she said. “Through this we begin to deconstruct the negative connotations that are associated with women in jazz, or lack thereof, and start bridging the gap.”

The Tia Fuller Quartet will perform 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. sets this Friday and Saturday at Bohemian Caverns. $18.