Composer and Trumpeter Tim Hagans is considered by many to be one of the most unique and influential modern voices on trumpet. His distinct tone was described by the Village Voice as “powerfully expressive” and Gary Giddins professed him to be a “swarming, spirited tour de force.” Recent CD releases include Alone Together (Pirouet 2008), featuring pianist Marc Copland, and Worth the Wait (Fuzzy Music 2008) featuring Peter Erskine. In May 2009 he will record with Erskine, Dave Liebman, Joe Lovano, Randy Brecker, and Rufus Reid a CD of his compositions for the Norrbotten Big Band (Fuzzy Music 2009).
Mr. Hagans performs and records with his own ensembles, including Tim Hagans Subversive Jazz, as well as with Joe Lovano, Blue Note All-Stars, Gary Peacock, Bob Mintzer, Marc Copland, Bob Belden and Maria Schneider. He was nominated for Grammy awards for Best Contemporary Jazz CD for his Animation*Imagination (1999 Blue Note) and Re: Animation (2000 Blue Note).
He has performed with Thad Jones, Ernie Wilkins, Dexter Gordon, Ed Thigpen, Kenny Drew, Danish Radio Big Band, White Orange, and Swedish Radio Jazz Group. For three years he was a member of the Stan Kenton Orchestra. He is the featured soloist on the soundtrack by Howard Shore for the movie The Score, starring Robert DeNiro and Marlon Brando. He has been the Artistic Director and composer/arranger for and the Norrbotten Big Band in Luleå, Sweden since 1996.
In 2001 he was the subject of an hour-long documentary made for Swedish television entitled Boogaloo Road. He was the recipient of the 2008 IAJE/ASCAP Established Composer commission and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts grant for music composition. He has been a guest soloist/composer with UMO Jazz Orchestra (Helsinki) and NDR Big Band (Hamburg). Other commissions include music for Christer Engberg’s play The Hostage, the Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra and Jazz Baltica.
