International Jazz Saxophonist Tim Warfield, Jr. joins the nationally recognized Byron Center Jazz Orchestra for COOL JAZZ on Friday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Van Singel Fine Arts Center as part of the 2016-2017 Chemical Bank Series.
Tim Warfield, Jr., a native of York, Pennsylvania, began studying the alto saxophone at age nine. He switched to tenor saxophone during his first year at William Penn Sr. High School where he participated in various musical ensembles winning many jazz soloist awards, including second out of forty competitors at the Montreal Festival of Music in Canada. After high school, Warfield attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. for two years before leaving to lead and co-lead groups in the Central Pennsylvania and Baltimore/Washington areas.
Warfield has made several television appearances including the “Today Show,” “Bill Cosby’s You Bet Your Life” (where he was a member of the house band until 1992), and Ted Turner’s 1998 Trumpet Awards. Additionally, he has made numerous stage appearances with such names as Donald Byrd, Michelle Rosewoman, Marcus Miller, Marlon Jordan, James Williams, Christian McBride, Winard Harper, Dizzy Gillespie, Leslie Burrs to name a few, along as having been on several Grammy-nominated recordings.
Most recently, Warfield was recognized as the Clef Club of Jazz and the Performing arts Tenor Saxophonist of the Year. His newest recording is “Spherical,” which is a Criss Cross Jazz recording, is dedicated to piano genius and jazz icon Thelonious Sphere Monk and features trumpet legend Eddie Henderson, pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Ben Wolfe and drummer Clarence Penn.
Warfield currently serves as a board member, and music committee chairperson, for the Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz and also serves as “artist-in-residence” at Messiah College in Grantham, Pa, and an adjunct music faculty member at Temple University, in Philadelphia, Pa. Warfield recently joined the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia, under the direction of Terell Stafford.
The Byron Center Jazz Orchestra, directed by Marc Townley, has competed at the Swing Central Jazz Festival in Savannah, Georgia every spring since 2014 and this year ranked third out of 12 high school bands from throughout the nation. This May will be the orchestra’s second time competing in New York at Essentially Ellington Jazz Competition and Festival at Lincoln Center in New York.
Reserved seats are $16.50 for adults and $11.50 for students. Reserve tickets in person at the Van Singel box office or by calling 616-878-6800, Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are also available at www.vsfac.com.
The Van Singel Fine Arts Center is located at the east end of the Byron Center High School complex, at 8500 Burlingame SW, located at 84th Street and Burlingame SW in Byron Center, just 1.5 miles west of US-131. The Van Singel features free, easy parking and curbside handicap parking is available.
