By Laura Eckles, KCCK Programming Intern

Larry Fuller, based in New York City, is a hard swinging mainstream jazz pianist. Floyd “Candy” Johnson helped Fuller to start a professional musical career at the age of thirteen in Toledo, Ohio. Fuller obtained the position of musical director and pianist for Grammy-nominated vocalist Ernestine Anderson by his early twenties. He spent some time playing with the Jeff Hamilton Trio before joining what would be the final lineup of the Ray Brown Trio, prior to Brown’s death. Larry Fuller has played with many talented musicians including Harry “Sweets” Edison, Phil Woods, Clark Terry, and many others.

The Larry Fuller Trio’s latest album was released in 2014, “Larry Fuller.” Fuller embodies swing and drive in all of his playing. Fuller brings an eclectic mix of repertoire into this album from opulent ballads, “Reflections in D/ Prelude to a Kiss,” by Duke Ellington to “Celia,” by Bud Powell. “He brings vitality! He swings hard and I like that,” Ray Brown. The Larry Fuller Trio will be performing at the Iowa City Jazz Festival on Sunday, July 3, at 2 p.m. on the Main Stage.