Forging a deeply personal sound from a broad swath of the jazz landscape, internationally acclaimed saxophonist, educator, composer, and arranger Tim Green has emerged as a powerful voice, melding deftly swinging hard bop, fluid modernity, and soulful gospel.
Green is a native of Baltimore, where he grew up surrounded by music. After graduating from the Baltimore School for the Arts, he went on to receive his Bachelor of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music and earned his Master’s in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern California’s Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. During his time at USC he came up under the guiding lights of legends like Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Terence Blanchard. Blanchard, the master trumpeter, calls Green, “a very talented musician with a wide array of creativity. His sound and writing are built on the strengths of our heritage while also containing a forward looking approach to create his own very personal sound.”
Green has had a very diverse career which crosses all genres of music that includes playing with some of the most recognized and established names in Jazz, Gospel, R&B, Hip Hop, and Pop music. Some of those artist include Christian McBride, Eric Reed, Mulgrew Miller, John Fadis, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Kurt Rosenwinkle, Queen Latifah, Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Yolanda Adams, Israel Houghton, Mo’Horns, Mary Mary, Michael Bublé, Ariana Grande, Tori Kelly, Ravi Coltrane, Mary J Blige, Mariah Carey, Fantasia, Toni Braxton, Carl Allen, Earth Wind and Fire, Rodney Whitaker, Joe Chambers, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, and Jill Scott.
Performing with such artist has allowed Green to play in some of the most prestigious venues in the world that includes Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Disney Hall, the White House, the Village Vanguard and various concert halls, stadiums, and arenas around the world.
After finishing his master’s degree, Green seized the attention of the jazz community with his second-place finish in the 2008 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition. He delivered on the promise of that prestigious honor with the release of his 2012 album Songs From This Season, on his label True Melody Music. The album, a stylistically diverse set distinguished by Green’s knack for establishing direct emotional connection to his listeners, features a stellar cast of established jazz stars. The impressive list of sidemen on the session includes pianist Orrin Evans, guitarist Gilad Hekselman, drummers Rodney Green and Obed Calvaire, and several of Green’s collaborators in the thriving Baltimore/Washington DC jazz scene.
Green has since returned to his native Baltimore, where he is a key component of the city’s burgeoning jazz, and music education community. He still maintains an active presence in New York and in the international music scene through touring, educational programs and can also be seen playing in the house band for various award shows on major networks.
Education has become a great passion for Green. The desire to give back and help the younger generation understand music in all genres, with an emphasis on jazz studies, is a key focal point of his career. This has led to him to work at high schools, jazz summer camps and at colleges as a faculty member, guest Artist-in-Residence, and clinician. Some of these programs include Morgan State University, Temple University, Baltimore School For the Arts, Seiko Jazz Camp, Brevard Jazz Camp, University of North Carolina Ashville, Jazz Reach, University of Tennessee Knoxville, and the Stanford Jazz Workshop.