Born and raised in Fremont, California, Tim Lin is a
Taiwanese-American
jazz talent whose progressive sound comes from his love of the bebop
jazz tradition and history.
In his youth, Tim studied with bay area saxophonist and educator Dann
Zinn. Soon after, Tim received a scholarship to study with the
world-renowned jazz recording artist Bob Sheppard at the University of
Southern California Thornton School of Music. During his college years
in Los Angeles, Tim was a member of the award winning USC Thornton Jazz
Orchestra lead by Bob Mintzer, in addition to the USC Honors Combo
directed by Jason Goldman.
Tim was the first runner up for the International Taichung Saxophone
Competition behind Tivon Penicott. Tim was also a finalist in the 2018
Thelonious Monk Institute College Program (Herbie Hancock Institute of
Jazz) where he performed for Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ambrose
Akinmusire, and Herb Albert.
Tim has performed with jazz luminaries such as Kenny Burrell, Albert
Tootie Heath, Russell Ferrante, Terri Lyne Carrington, Carl Allen, Mike
Clark, Essiet Okon Essiet, Paul Gill, Jason Tiemann, Jeb Patton, and
Billy Drummond.
Tim has been mentored by some of the greatest tenor saxophonists of our
generation including Bob Sheppard, Bob Mintzer, Larry Schneider, and
Jerry Bergonzi.
Currently residing in New York City, Tim is an active jazz artist &
freelance musician, educator, author, and composer on the scene.
Tim’s debut record entitled “Romance in Formosa” was produced by Bob
Sheppard, featuring Andy LaVerne on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and
Billy Drummond on drums. Sophomore recording “Empathy”, with the same
ensemble, released in 2023.
Pianist Charles Chen is from Cupertino, California. He has been
playing gigs professionally in the Bay Area for the past 20 years, and
has performed in venues and festivals such as Yoshi's, Freight &
Salvage,
and the San Jose Jazz Festival.
He has performed and recorded with jazz legends such as Billy
Drummond, Kenny Washinton, Peter Washington, and Ralph Moore. He has
studied with Andy LaVerne, David Hazeltine, Mike LeDonne, David
Kikoski, and Michael Weiss.
In 2019,
Charles won first place at the Jazz Search West competition.
Steve LaSpina has been a prominent bassist on the New York and
national scene for over forty years. During that time, he has played
and recorded with many great musicians in jazz history.
He was a regular band member, toured and recorded with saxophonists
Benny Carter, Stan Getz and Phil Woods, vocalists Joe Williams and Mark
Murphy, trumpeters Clark Terry, Chet Baker and Randy Brecker, and
guitarist Pat Martino. He has spent the last decade traveling around
the world and recording with the legendary guitarist Jim Hall, and has
appeared on six of his recordings, including "These Rooms" featuring
Tom Harrell.
LaSpina has appeared on many of the world’s foremost jazz festivals,
including the North Sea and Umbria Jazz Festivals.
He has been featured on a number of prominent jazz recordings such as
"The Return" with Pat Martino. He has also recorded several CD's and
albums under his own name, including "The Road Ahead" featuring Jim
McNeely on the Ram Record label, and "Distant Dreams" on the
SteepleChase label, featuring Fred Hersch and Ben Monder.
Jeff Hirshfield (born August 22, 1955) is an American jazz
drummer.
Hirshfield was born in New York City. He studied under Ed Soph. He
worked for the Joffrey Ballet in 1976–1977, and then played with Mose
Allison (1977–1979). During the 1980s he worked with Red Rodney and Ira
Sullivan (1981–1985), Toshiko Akiyoshi (1986–1989), and Bennie Wallace
(1987–1990). Alongside Fred Hersch and Steve LaSpina, he was a member
of the trio Etc. during 1988–1991. During this time he also played in a
trio with Hersch and Michael Formanek. From 1990 he played with Harold
Danko, played in Formanek's Wide Open Spaces project, and played again
with LaSpina in a quartet setting. He also worked in a quartet with
John Abercrombie and Andy LaVerne early in the 1990s. In the mid-1990s
he played in a trio with Marc Copland and Dieter Ilg (1992–1995),
another trio with Tim Berne and Formanek (1993–1994), and the Lan Xang
ensemble with David Binney, Donny McCaslin, and Scott Colley (after
1995).
Hirshfield has also played and recorded with a number of other leaders, including
Bob Belden, Marc Copland, Vic Juris, Steve Slagle, Dave Stryker, Jim
Snidero, Warren Bernhardt, Rich Perry, Loren Stillman, and Paul Bley.