Tim Berne

Tim Berne is an American saxophonist and composer, born in Syracuse, New York, on 16 October 1954, who plays mainly alto and baritone. Active in New York avant-garde jazz since the late 1970s, he writes long, intricate pieces that move between written themes and open improvisation. He took lessons from Julius Hemphill after moving to New York in 1974, and he has issued much of his own work through his labels Empire Productions and Screwgun Records. Tim Berne debuted with The Five Year Plan (1979) and later recorded for Soul Note, Columbia, JMT, Thirsty Ear, ECM and Intakt.