photo credit Steve Stolzfus

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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, of which he remained a member for three years.

In 1991, he was selected to record “Tough Young Tenors" on the Island/Antilles label, which was listed as one of the top ten recordings of the year by the New York Times, ultimately rising to number five, on the Billboard Top 100 Jazz charts. 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, Winard Harper, Dizzy Gillespie, Larry Coryell, Dakota Staton, Johnny Coles, Leslie Burrs, Isaac Hayes, Peter Nero, Shirley Scott, Jimmy Smith, Billy Paul, Kenny Barron, Nicholas Payton, Charles Fambrough, Eric Reed, Carl Allen, Terell Stafford, Stefon Harris, Orrin Evans, The Newport Millennium All Stars, “Papa” John DeFrancesco, Edgar Bateman, Joey DeFrancesco, Claudio Raggazzi, Derrick Gardner and the Jazz Prophets, Trudy Pitts, Dana Hall 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 Critics poll. That same year he joined forces with New Orleans trumpeter and recording artist Nicholas Payton and in 2006, 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 and New Orleans native, Nicholas Payton. In July of 2008, featured in the "Playlist" section, Warfield's recording "One For Shirley" dedicated to the legendary organist Shirley Scott, was one of three recordings to receive notable mention in the New York Times. In 2009, Warfield performed in “PARIS 1959” an adaptation of Puccini’s “Ill Tabarro,” under the direction of producer Tami Swartz and presented by the Harrisburg Opera Association and in 2010, his CD A Sentimental Journey on the Criss Cross jazz label was selected as a “Critic’s Choice” in the New York Times by Ben Ratliff.

In December of 2012, Warfield released Tim Warfield's Jazzy Christmas on his Undaunted Music label. The recording features an all-star cast including trumpeter Terell Stafford, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, pianists Cyrus Chestnut and Neil Podgurski, bassist Rodney Whitaker, drummer Clarence Penn, percussionist Daniel Sadownick, and vocalists Joanna Pascale and Jamie Davis. The CD was showcased among 20 other new holiday recordings as one of the New York Times’ Best Holiday recordings for 2013.

Warfield released two recordings in 2013: Eye of the Beholder on the Criss Cross Jazz label featuring trumpeter Nicholas Payton, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Rodney Whitaker, and drummer Clarence Penn, and Inspire Me on the Herb Harris music label featuring trumpeter Antoine Drye, saxophonist and vocalist Herb Harris, pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Greg Wiliams, and drummer Rodney Green.

Warfield's critically acclaimed release on Criss Cross Jazz, titled "Spherical,” dedicated to the iconic piano genius, Thelonious Sphere Monk, was released February 2015, and features trumpet legend Eddie Henderson, pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Ben Wolfe and drummer Clarence Penn. Warfield’s latest recording, Jazzland, released on the Criss Cross Jazz label in 2018, features trumpeter Terell Stafford, organist Pat Bianchi, drummer Byron Landham and percussionist Daniel Sadownick.

Over the years, Warfield has received many honors from the Jazz community. In August 2008, Warfield was inducted by the Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz into its “Jazz Hall of Fame,” and in April 2011, he was awarded a “Key to the City” and “The Artist Award” at the first “State of the City” address by Mayor Kim Bracey of York, PA. In August that same year, he was recognized in a listing of Rising Star Tenor Saxophonists in Downbeat magazine’s Critics Poll. In January 2013, Joined the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia under the direction of Terell Stafford, and also received a “Jazz Legends” award, from Penn State University Harrisburg Campus at their Martin Luther King Commemoration Lecture Series. In November 2015, The Clef Club of Jazz and the Performing Arts, recognized him as “Tenor saxophonist of the Year,” at their annual Clef Club Jazz Awards in Philadelphia. 

In May of 2018, Warfield was nominated by Governor Tom Wolf and inducted by the Senate as a newly appointed member of the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts. He also serves as a board member and Artistic Director for the Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz, and is currently an Artist in Residence at Messiah College in Grantham, PA. Later that same year he earned the position of Assistant Professor & Coordinator of the Jazz Masters of Music Graduate Program at Temple University in Philadelphia.

In 2023, Warfield was recognized in his hometown of York as one of York County's Most Influential Artists & Entertainers by the York Daily Record.