At age 14 Tim Hegarty was asked to sit in with jazz legends Art Farmer, Clark Terry, and Jon Faddis which changed his life forever. Frank Foster became his saxophone teacher. After soloing with the Guggenhiem Concert Orchestra at Lincoln Center in 1984, Tim was given the opportunity to study clarinet with Ben Armato of the Metorpolitan Opera. He also began to study harmony and piano with Harold Danko and James Williams. It was 1985 when Tim got to meet the great Gil Evans and first got to play with the band. In 1986 Tim attended the University of Miami where he studied woodwinds, composition, and arranging. He returned to New York City in 1989 to attend the Manhattan School of Music and the New School. There, he was the recipient of the "Zoot Sims Award" which allowed him to perform several concerts in Spain with his quartet that included pianist Brad Mehldau. Tim received his MA from Queens College under the guidance of Jimmy Heath and Donald Byrd where he studied saxophone, composition, and arranging. It was at this time that Tim became a member of the Gil Evans Orchestra performing Monday nights at Sweet Basil and began regular gigs with the Mingus Big Band. He was fortunate enough during this period to tour the U.S. with several different groups and was asked to perform in Japan for the first time after doing a CD with guitarist Mike Stern and drummer Akira Tana. He also recorded CDs with Lonnie Plaxico and began performing regularly with Ben E. King, Tom "Bones" Malone, and Pete Levin. He recorded his first CD as a leader in 1992 that included musicians Gil Goldstein, Mark Egan and Kenwood Dennard. In 2011 Tim orchestrated and arranged several big band charts for Ben E. King which were performed on a live radio broadcast from the "Tokyo Jazz Festival".  Here's some information about Tim Hegarty's CD "Tribute" with Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid, Carl Allen, and Mark Sherman.   Tim Hegarty has been part of the New York City jazz scene for more then 30 years. His consummate and modern-edged saxophone playing is evocative of Dexter Gordon and John Coltrane, but still uniquely his own. Tribute, is a disc of hard-driving, solid, straight-ahead jazz that juxtaposes intense, spontaneous conversation with pensive introspection. It is an exciting project that melds originality with the grand tradition. The repertoire is a mix of choice standards and fresh originals. Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid, Carl Allen, and Mark Sherman are tight and focused and sound like a band that is both comfortable and flawless. Tim Hegarty's playing is informed by a profound love for the music- most specically the blues. Kenny Barron's poignant touch and mastery of subtlety make for a fascinating musical conversation between the band members. The combination of Reid's elegant and irreproachable bass lines, Allen's immaculate and pristine rhythmic concept, as well as Sherman's impeccable harmonic and melodic contributions truly make this project a recording for the ages. As producer Mark Sherman comments in his notes, "inviting Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid, and Carl Allen to this recording date was truly the perfect decision, especially considering the concept and title for the CD, Tim Hegarty-Tribute. It is an offering to all of Tim Hegarty's teachers, both in person and on recording. Truthfully, they are all our teachers: Jimmy Heath, George Coleman, Monk, not to mention Coltrane and Bird. As a producer, this was the easiest flowing recording date I have ever done. The music played itself. For me it was a personal triumph and privilege to work the music with these incredible musicians."project can best be described by one word- unforgettable.