“One of the best bass players I've played with” - John Handy during a NW tour.
Tim Gilson began studying music seriously at Mt Hood Community College and shortly thereafter began playing professionally in the Portland area. He traveled to Los Angeles to study John Clayton and in 1988 won 2nd place in the International Society of Bassists semi-annual competition in the Jazz Division.
Upon returning to Portland Tim began playing with many nationally acclaimed artists as they came to Portland including Mose Allison, Ritchie Cole, Bud Shank, Herb Ellis, Julian Priester, John Handy, Ernestine Anderson and many others. He toured Japan in 1993 with the Mel Brown Quintet with special guest artist Chuck Findley on trumpet. Tim also went back to school and earned a Bachelor of Music and a Masters degree from Portland State University in Double Bass performance with an emphasis in Composition.
In 1994 he moved to Madison Wisconsin where he served as Principal Bassist with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Assistant Principal for the Madison Symphony Orchestra. He was also sought after in the Wisconsin jazz scene and played occasionally with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
Tim returned to Portland in 2002 to direct the Mt Hood Community College String Ensemble and perform in a variety of settings including with the Oregon Symphony backing guest artists such as Dee Daniels, Byron Stripling and Herbie Hancock. He has also accompanied several guest artists including Wycliff Gordon, Antonio Hart, Matt Wilson and Ingrid Jensen when they came to the Northwest as guest artists. Tim continues to teach, perform, arrange and conduct as Director of the MHCC Orchestra and Adjunct faculty at PSU. Tim plays regularly with the Mel Brown Trio and the Mel Brown Septet.