Tia Fuller's third recording on the Mack Avenue label marks her evolution as a skilled saxophonist, composer and bandleader and features guest vocalist Dianne Reeves, John Patitucci on bass and Terri Lyne Carrington on drums. 'Angelic Warrior' also shows how she's grown as a producer, her observation of the meticulous in-studio attention to detail of Beyonc - with whom Fuller toured and recorded for the last five years - resulting in heightened focus on the editing, mixing and mastering process. On 'Angelic Warrior' Fuller makes an aesthetic statement that's fully her own, a culmination of the music that she loves. Most of the nine originals and freshly arranged standards are dedicated to people important in her life. Terri Lyne Carrington is the inspiration for the recording's title. "She has this gracefulness about her but she also has a warrior spirit," Fuller says about Carrington. "She's really helped to pave the way for a lot of musicians, especially, of course, female musicians. And for me, an African American woman, she has just made a stamp and opened it up for a lot of us, such as myself and Esperanza. She's a major mentor." "From playing with great horn players like Wayne Shorter and Stan Getz, I just wanted to help her and encourage her," says Carrington. "I fell in love with Tia's playing and with her as a person. She has a lot of respect for the history of the music and has done her homework."