Interview with Bill Malchowski of Jazztimes:
Tim Collins’ early music influences were not jazz. “My first serious musical obsession was progressive rock, specifically Rush and Yes,” says Collins, 34. “Then, when I started playing vibes at age 20, I became obsessed with Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson.” Collins’ third outing as a leader, Castles and Hilltops, reflects an eclectic range of music, from a cover of Björk’s “The Anchor Song” to the dynamic “The Tunnel,” which he says incorporates elements of Foo Fighters and Steve Reich. “I would also include Victor Feldman, Dr. John, Keith Jarrett, John Coltrane, the Police, Bach, the Meters and Lee Konitz as important influences,” he says, “along with musicians in New York who are doing amazing things every day, like John Ellis or Aaron Parks.”