Jazz & Jeans Featured Trio Bios
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.
In 1990 he was chosen to be a member of trumpeter and CBS/Sony recording artist Marlon Jordan’s Quintet. In 1991 he was selected to record Tough Young Tenors on the Island/Antilles label, listed as one of the top ten recordings of the year by the New York Times. He also joined Jazz Futures, a world touring group assembled by George Wein to showcase some of the world’s brightest young stars in jazz. Also in 1991, Warfield placed third at the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition held at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
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, The Harper Brothers, Dizzy Gillespie, Isaac Hayes, Shirley Scott, Jimmy Smith, Nicholas Payton, Charles Fambrough, Eric Reed, Carl Allen, Terell Stafford, Stefon Harris, Orrin Evans, The Newport Millennium All Stars, “Papa” John Defrancesco, Joey Defrancesco, Claudio Raggazzi, Danilo Perez, and others. In 1994, he joined bassist and Verve recording artist Christian McBride’s group, where he remained a member until 1999.
Warfield’s first recording, A Cool Blue, was selected as one of the top ten recordings of the year in a 1995 New York Times critic’s poll, as was his 1998 recording Gentle Warrior (featuring Cyrus Chestnut, Tarus Mateen, Clarence Penn, Terell Stafford, and Nicholas Payton), proclaiming him possibly the most powerful tenor saxophonist of his generation. In 1999, he was awarded “Talent Deserving Wider Recognition” in DownBeat Magazine’s 49th Annual Jazz Critic’s poll. In 2000, alongside crooner Loston Harris, Warfield performed at the MTV GQ Men of the Year Awards in New York City.
In the fall of 1999 Warfield exclusively joined forces with New Orleans trumpeter and Warner Bros. recording artist Nicholas Payton of with whom he toured and recorded until 2005.
In 2006, Warfield joined trumpeter and Maxjazz recording artist Terell Stafford’s Quintet.
Warfield has appeared on several GRAMMY-nominated recordings such as Stefon Harris’ “The Grand Unification Theory,” as well as “Dear Louis” and “Sonic Trance,” both under the leadership of trumpeter Nicholas Payton.
Tim is currently serving as a board member for the Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz as well as an artist-in-residence at Messiah College in Grantham , Pa.
Pat Bianchi was born on December 7, 1975 in Rochester, NY. Being raised in a musical family, Pat’s interest towards music developed early on, always having a fascination with electronic keyboards. Organ was Pat’s first instrument which he began playing at age 7. It was gifted to him by his grandfather who also was a professional musician. Bianchi then began formal piano lessons shortly after that time. By the time he was 12 he was playing gigs. As his interest in music continued to grow, Bianchi went on to study classical piano in the Eastman School of Music’s preparatory program, and then jazz piano at Berklee College of Music. Pat is quick to state that even with all of his formal training, his most important influence was Joey DeFrancesco and his Columbia Records release “Live at the Five Spot”. Pat said: “After hearing that CD and listening to it non-stop, I knew I wanted to play the Hammond organ.
Bianchi, currently living in New York City, is one of the most talented B3 players on the scene today. His music is often described as fiery, intense and moving. Joey DeFrancesco was recently quoted as saying, “This young man is an incredible musician regardless of the instrument but as far as playing the organ goes, Pat is one of the finest players, if not the finest I’ve heard in recent years to touch the instrument.” Downbeat magazine writes, “Pat bianchi demonstrates a strong sense of personal identity that bodes well for his continued success. He is able to look to the future while still honoring the tradition.”
Pat frequently tours with The Lou Donaldson Quartet. He is also a member of Tim Warfield’s “organ quintet”, co-leads the “Unity Project”, a tribute to Larry Young, with drummer Ralph Peterson Jr. and often performs nationally with his own trio and quartet. As one of the busiest jazz organists on the scene today, he has appeared at New York’s most prestigious jazz venues, including: The Village Vanguard, Birdland, and Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola. Bianchi is also frequently involved in tours that span the globe with many respected jazz artists, often playing at some of the most renowned jazz venues including: Marian’s in Switzerland, Ronnie Scott’s in London, The Blue Note in Milan, and many others.
Bianchi’s debut recording East Coast Roots, featured Byron Landham and Mark Whitfield. The success of “ECR” gained him wider recognition in the world of jazz. He was named as one of the top 10 Jazz Organists in the Downbeat Readers Poll. Recently completing his second recording as a leader, “Back Home”, not only features some of the most respected names in jazz today including: Terell Stafford, Ralph Peterson Jr and Wayne Escoffery, but showcases two musicians quickly gaining wider recognition: Carmen Intorre, and Gilad Hekselman.
A 20 year veteran New York based artist, Phil Haynes is featured on more than 50 LP and CD releases by numerous American and European record labels. His debut, The Paul Smoker Trio’s QB with Anthony Braxton, was named the #1 recording of 1985 by esteemed critic Kevin Whitehead. The international media have compared his drumming to masters Jack DeJohnette, Roy Haynes and Elvin Jones, and his compositions to Duke Ellington, Charles Ives, Charles Mingus and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. In addition to the critically acclaimed three recordings for Enja Records by the composer’s collective, Joint Venture, Haynes’ diverse and distinctive dozen recordings as a leader include: Continuum (violinist Mark Feldman’s jazz debut); the ground breaking and iconic ensemble 4 Horns & What?; his recording of jazz standards , A Couch in Brooklyn (featuring Israeli pianist Micu Narununsky and bassist Drew Gress ); The Hammond Insurgency with B-3 organ artist Jeff Palmer; Free Country’s trilogy of Americana with cellist/vocalist Hank Roberts, as well as his singular solo drum-set recording entitled Sanctuary.
After founding the nationally noted Jazz@Bucknell chamber series in 2005 , Haynes accepted an appointment as Bucknell University’s Kushell Jazz Artist-in-Residence. Since 2007, Haynes annually teaches two courses in Jazz History as a guest lecturer, directs his multi-media Bucknell Improvisation Intensive Ensemble (BIIE), coaches the Bucknell Jazz Band rhythm section, works with various campus small groups, maintains an active private studio, and leads the all volunteer Bison Pep Band. His Pennsylvania based trio, Adams/Stetz&Haynes, features works by the great pianists of the history of jazz, from Scott Joplin through Keith Jarrett. In addition, Haynes performs regularly in the region with the legendary Harrisburg pianist, Steve Rudolph, The Zeropoint Jazz Orchestra, as well as The Hammond Brothers – with regional organ artist Steve Adams and guest musicians such as saxophonist David Liebman, Gary Thomas, Herb Robertson, Paul Smoker, and Tim Warfield.
Musicians Haynes has appeared on CD with include: Theo Bleckman, Anthony Braxton, Adam Caine, Joe Daley, Dave Douglas, Mark Dresser, Marty Ehrlich, Ellery Eskelin, Mark Feldman, Ken Filiano, Vinny Golia, Drew Gress, Mark Helias, Lindsay Horner, Ed Jackson, David Kikoski, Frank Lacy, Andy Laster, Tony Malaby, Denman Maroney, Micu Narunsky, Jeff Palmer, Hank Roberts, Herb Robertson, Ned Rothenberg, Ted Rosenthal, Rich Rothenberg, Michelle Rosewoman, Steve Rudolph, Steve Salerno, Ed Schuller, Paul Smoker, David Taylor, Gebhard Ullmann, and Tom Varner.
Other diverse artists that Haynes has appeared with in concert include John Abercrombie, Ralph Alessi, Tim Berne, Bobby Bradford, Don Byron, Bill Carrothers, Billy Childs, Marilyn Crispell, Joshua Davis, Jack Dejohnette, Jon English, Michael Formanek, Charles Gayle, Steve Gilmore, Arnold Hammerschlag, Peter Herbert, Ingrid Jensen, Dean Johnson, David Liebman, Albert Manglesdorf, Ron McClure, Tony Micelli, Ben Monder, Glenn Moore, Varden Ovsepian, Paul Plimley, Steve Salerno, Eddie Severn, Louis Sclavis, Leni Stern, John Stowell, John Swana, Steve Swell, Greg Tardy, John Tchicai, Thomas Ullrich, Roseanna Vitro, J.D. Waters, Tim Warfield, Kenny Werner, Kenny Wheeler, Andreus Willers, Larry Willis, and Andrea Wolper.