Tim Warfield and His Quintet

Tim WarfieldTIm Warfield, saxophone
Orrin Evans, piano
Vincente Archer, bass
Warren Wolf, vibraphone
Chris Beck, drums

April 5, 2006
8:30 p.m.
Bucknell Hall

TIM WARFIELD, JR., began studying the alto saxophone at the age of nine. He switched to tenor saxophone during High School and went on to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C. In 1990, he became a member of trumpeter and CBS/Sony recording artist Marlon Jordan’s Quintet. In 1991, he was recorded Tough Young Tenors, listed as one of the top ten recordings of the year by the New York Times. He also joined producer George Wein’s Jazz Futures, a world touring group showcasing some of the world’s brightest young jazz stars.

Warfield’s television appearances include The Today Show, Bill Cosby’s You Bet Your Life (he was a member of the house band until 1992), and Ted Turner’s 1998 Trumpet Awards. He has shared stages with 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 Christian McBride’s group of which he remained a member until 1999.

Warfield’s first recording as a leader, A Cool Blue (1995), was a top ten recording of the year in a New York Times critic’s poll, as was his 1998 recording Gentle Warrior (featuring Cyrus Chestnut, Tarus Mateen, Clarence Penn, Terrell Stafford, and Nicholas Payton). In 1999, he was awarded “Talent Deserving Wider Recognition” in Down Beat’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. Since the fall of 1999,Warfield has been working with New Orleans trumpeter and Warner Bros. recording artist Nicholas Payton. Warfield has appeared on several Grammy-nominated recordings including Stefon Harris’ The Grand Unification Theory and Payton’s Dear Louis and Sonic Trance.

ORRIN EVANS, piano and composer, was called “the clear-cut best pianist of his time” by Hot House Magazine in 1998. He performed with Bobby Watson for six years, recording both Live and Learn (Palmetto Record) and Quiet as It’s Kept (Red Records). Evans is known for his performances with the Charles Mingus Big Band and touring with Wallace Roney, Stefon Harris, and Antonio Hart. His own ensembles have included Ralph Peterson, Sam Newsome, Ralph Bowen, Nasheet Waits, Reid Anderson, John Swana, and Duane Eubanks.

VICENTE ARCHER, bass, began his musical career as a guitarist influenced by Wes Montgomery and George Benson. Within a year of switching to bass, Donald Harrison hired him for the group culminating in the recording Free to Be (Impulse Records). While still in college, Archer became a member of Eric Reed’s trio. Since moving to New York, Archer has performed with Kenny Garrett, Terence Blanchard, Tom Harrell, Freddie Hubbard,Mark Whitfield, Roy Haynes, Geri Allen,Wycliffe Gordon, Craig Handy, Janis Siegel, Lewis Nash, Carl Allen, Nicholas Payton, Louis Hayes, and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, among many others.

WARREN WOLF, vibraphone, is a multi-instrumentalist and a composer. He began playing drums at the age of three and took up vibraphone a few years later. He toured with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra when he was 9, wrote his first tune when he was 10, and was being hired for professional jazz gigs by the time he was 12. He entered the Berklee School of Music at 17, studying with master vibraphonist Dave Samuels. He landed the house gig at Boston’s landmark Wally’s Café, where he met countless musicians, resulting in to associations with Roy Haynes, Louis Nash, and Milt Jackson, among many others.

CHRIS BECK, drums, was born into a musical family. He first gained playing experience with gospel groups and community organizations. Encouraged by his high school teacher to continue in jazz studies, he pursued a career in music education, earning a Bachelor of Music degree from Temple University. He developed a friendship with his mentor at Temple, Terrell Stafford‚ for whom he transcribed performances by many of jazz’s master drummers. Beck currently works with a variety of artists including Tim Warfield, Terell Stafford, Orrin Evans, Philadelphia legend Bootsie Barnes, Latin jazz pianist Elio Villafranca, and a host of other Philadelphia and New York artists.