We first met Tim at the 2024 Tainan Jazz Festival, where—thanks to our friends at WiJazz—he and his band came to perform by chance. That night, we were instantly drawn in, not only by his energetic and soulful bebop playing but also by his boyish charm and charisma. We still remember how many people—especially the girls—lined up to take photos with him. Yet what stood out most was his kindness: in the middle of a lively conversation, Tim stepped away just to check on the mother of one of his bandmates who had traveled with them to hear the show.

In that moment, we felt he embodied the true spirit of Bebop—both musically and personally. So when we later reached out about ways to collaborate and discovered that his saxophone business in New York is also called Bebop, it felt like fate.

Bebop: Hi Tim, thanks for partnering with us as our brand ambassador—and congratulations on the release of your new album Heartfelt! It feels like a major step forward from your last record, both musically and in terms of scope. Also, big congrats on signing with Sony Taiwan. Can you tell us about the goals you set for yourself when creating this album?

Tim: Thank you so much! When creating this album, I had a very clear goal which aligned with my artistic vision. I originally moved to New York because I wanted to play with the best jazz players in the world, and NYC is the jazz capital. There is no shortage of talent and ability here, and the jazz musicians take the music more seriously than anything else in their lives. So for me, this album was just another way for me to continue my path of moving to New York and staying motivated to improve and become a better jazz musician.
Every year I record an album to keep myself accountable artistically—it gives me motivation to practice, grow, and change for the better. I never want to stay the same. For me, change is the name of the game.

Bebop: The title Heartfelt and the pink artwork might lead some to think the album is a romantic tribute. But in fact, it’s dedicated to the legendary saxophonist Dick Oatts, who also plays on the album.

Tim: On Monday nights in New York City, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (formerly known as the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra) plays at the world-famous Village Vanguard, which is located in the West Village. I started being a regular attendee there and would always go listen to the big band play. 

Bebop:  Can you tell us more about your relationship with Dick and how that connection became the heart of this project?

Tim: Dick Oatts has been a member of the band for almost thirty-five years now, and he is one of the most inspirational improvisers, educators, and human beings I’ve ever met in my life. There is an uplifting feeling Oatts brings to those around him. I remember being touched so deeply by him the first time I introduced myself as a newcomer to New York. I remember us exchanging information and him texting me and welcoming me to NYC. Little did I know it would become a friendship that changed my life.

Bebop: Musically speaking, how has Dick Oatts influenced your playing and artistic development? What are some of the things you’ve learned from him?

Tim: To me, Dick Oatts is the quintessential jazz improviser. He is coming from the tradition of jazz but has developed his own original, modern voice on the instrument. I was lucky to get a couple of lessons and shadow him at Temple University and spend time with him preparing for this album recording. I remember when we got together, we would just spend hours practicing together and trading choruses on the tunes we were working on.
He was very encouraging but also very to the point about my deficiencies—it always came from a place of love. I was able to take his advice and create systems that could improve my own playing and improvisations.
Coming from the school of Oatts, it’s important to be quick on your instrument—you need to be able to play back immediately what you hear on your instrument. Furthermore, you need to create a swinging time feel on your instrument that creates a moveable pulse. Dick has one of the best feelings and note placements in jazz—he’s able to move the listener, connect to the rhythm section, all while sounding relaxed and behind the beat with total groove.

Bebop: I know your father was the one who introduced you to the saxophone, can you share how you started your musical journey, and what made you decide to dedicate your life to this music?

Tim: My dad always loved the sound of the saxophone. Not sure if anyone recalls, but many songs from the karaoke songs in Taiwan back in the 70s/80s had saxophone solos in them. I wanted to play clarinet, but he encouraged me to play saxophone instead—saying it was a cooler sounding and looking instrument. At first, it was just a hobby and not something I took too seriously. I think it was when I first heard John Coltrane on A Love Supreme. That recording changed my life—it made me want to become a serious jazz musician.

Bebop: As the son of Taiwanese parents, was it challenging for them when you decided to pursue music professionally? How have they responded to your career over time?

Tim: At first, absolutely so. My parents didn’t come from wealth. They worked hard so they could immigrate to the United States from Taiwan. Luckily, they did well for themselves in Silicon Valley and were able to raise a successful family. So they wanted the same for me—without financial struggle.
Nowadays, it’s very hard to just make a comfortable living as a jazz musician. Many musicians I know struggle to pay their monthly rent (including myself when I first moved to the Big Apple). I had to prove to my parents with my dedication to the music that I was going to do this the rest of my life. After them hearing me practice so much as a kid in high school, the car garage soon became a soundproof practice room. Next thing you know, I get a scholarship to study jazz in college, and now I’m here in New York, still chasing my dreams (and Trane!).

Bebop: Beyond performing and recording, you also run a specialist saxophone repair and vintage horn shop—also named Bebop—which makes you an especially fitting partner for us. How did you get started in that business, and how do you balance it with your work as a musician?

Tim: Yes, Bebop Sax Shop, which is a brainchild of mine after the pandemic.
During the pandemic, most musicians lost a lot of work—mainly gigging, teaching, and freelance stuff that involved meeting in person. It was a tough time, and many musicians started to think of other ways to make money.
For me, I started using Instagram during that time and started to post regularly about my life in music. Soon, I had a big saxophone following. I tried to monetize that following by selling equipment because I always enjoyed learning more about saxophone equipment. Soon, I was known as an expert for saxophone equipment. I could consult others and help them find the equipment they needed and also fix their saxophones—I knew how to do this well because I knew how to play the instrument at a high level.
I knew that if I wanted to move to New York and live comfortably and pay my rent, I would need to have something that could financially support my art. And because of the Bebop Sax Shop, I’m able to fund my own artistic endeavors and stay in NYC. I have to be extremely organized about my time—I regularly meet with my client pool for repairs and sales on top of practicing 2–3 hours a day and also playing gigs and doing rehearsals while trying to maintain my physical and mental health.

Bebop: You grew up on the West Coast but now live in New York—and there’s definitely a strong sense of New York energy and style in your playing. How do you think living in the city has shaped your musical voice? And how would you describe what makes the “New York style” distinct?

Tim: I think I’ve lived two separate lives being a California boy who has become a New Yorker. The two coasts have completely different lifestyles and energy intertwined in the culture. I think New York gave me thicker skin. When I was in California, I was a young kid just trying to learn how to play and follow his jazz and music dreams. Coming to New York was a huge reality check for me (and many others). People are so much more direct here and cut to the chase immediately. They’re also extremely impatient. In New York, if you do something wrong or are slow, people tell you immediately. There isn’t much room for error here, and everyone is trying to get somewhere. There is this crazy rat race living here—like you just need to be on your A game at all times or else you immediately face the consequences. I think the Bay Area is much more forgiving and safe. It is like a haven, a beautiful place to live with very nice people and comfort. And all of this is reflected in the way people play music. Music is a projection and reflection of yourself. So yes, people can tell if someone has been in New York just by the way they play and swing their eighth notes—that’s what gives it the “New York” style.

Bebop: Let’s talk about the tracks on Heartfelt. How did you go about choosing the repertoire? Are there any personal stories or meaningful moments behind some of the song selections?

Tim: For me, I’ve always been a tune guy. I love learning and practicing songbook tunes. I think my favorite improvisers did too, but they also experimented with different ways to play them. So I arranged a bunch of jazz standards I was working on at that time of my practice. I picked songs that would sound good with alto and tenor saxophone and also two tenors. I also love playing ballads, and when I heard Mike Brecker’s version with Hal Galper of “I’ll Never Stop Loving You,” it inspired me to learn that tune but put my own touch on it. For me, repertoire is important. The songs need to kind of flow to the next and have an organic feeling for the listener in the set list. A lot of musicians don’t really think about this. I want to make sure the songs have a logical, coherent sequence in the album.

Bebop: Yeah, the strings on “I’ll Never Stop Loving You,” and the vocal performance by Vincent Ding on “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was.” sound great,!can you share what it was like working with strings and collaborating with Vincent?

Tim: I never thought I would have a chance to do something with strings, but Charles Chen (one of my best friends and a brilliant jazz pianist, arranger, composer, producer, etc.) wanted to add strings to the original track. We both felt like it was a bit boring as just another quartet song, so we decided to change the piano intro to string quartet. Then, we added the strings based off of the spaces in the harmony and phrasing of the melody. I thought it turned out well and added a nice crossover and romantic touch to the song.
As for Vincent, I’ve known Vincent since the pandemic when he was taking saxophone lessons with me. I received an email out of the blue from him during that time, and we became friends quickly. Next thing I know, I’m moving to New York and we decide to live together. We had a nice loft in Brooklyn where we hosted tons of house concerts. We both feel the same way about music—we love it and want to make albums the rest of our lives. So to finally record something together, it felt just like the good old days when we lived together.

Bebop: Now that Heartfelt is out in the world, what do you feel you’ve accomplished musically with this release? And do you already have a sense of where you’re headed next creatively?

Tim: I feel like I’ve made a really serious musical statement about who I am. I think the album is a reflection of the way I play, hear, and what I value in my music. For me, sound is everything. If the saxophone doesn’t sound good and doesn’t have a compelling tone, the licks, words, and lines all lose meaning. I want my music to attract not only the most serious musicians but also the most common listeners who are just starting to develop an interest in jazz.
I’m just going to keep practicing and trying to get better and change my playing. I don’t have any plans to stop anytime soon.

Bebop: Last question, so far, which flavor of Bebop are you most fond of at the moment?

Tim: I remember trying a lot of different samples, but I think the Chocolate Trane flavor surprised me the most. It really is some of the best-tasting and packaged ice cream, and I think it is an ingenious idea to merge jazz music and ice cream together to create Bebop.

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