During the 1990s, Schools became interested in the Chicago Jazz scene after meeting with jazz legend, Johnny Frigo (who lived at 1212 Lake Shore Drive where Schools had a studio for 5 years). Schools spoke at the Chicago Historical Society educating school kids on the similarities between painting and music with Frigo. Schools states, “The music interest is deep inside me. My grandfather was a musician and extremely pluralistic being a trapper of fox in the 1940s to antique connoisseur, just to have a few of his gifts. I began involving these different musicians, whose paths I crossed, painting with me on the same canvas. They would paint anything they wanted then I would paint their portraits on top of their artwork. I did portraits of jazz great Johnny Frigo (who wrote songs that Billie Holliday recorded, and played with Louis Armstrong, Dorsey Band, just to name a microcosm of his achievements), and Joey Molland, who recorded with all four of The Beatles.
Tim’s first album “The T. Schools Experience” was a collaboration with Derek Frigo (Johnny Frigo’s son) and powerhouse rock drummer and songwriter, Vikki Foxx.
“I’ve never let the grass grow under my feet and now I’m making my 2nd Album with Joey Molland (Badfinger member, George Harrison / John Lennon sideman) in Minneapolis, to be released in early 2008.
“My life is 2 degrees of separation instead of 6. I love life, especially because I can create.”
