[1] His early inspirations included Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, and Thad Jones, to whom he dedicated For the Music Suite, a 40-minute piece for jazz orchestra composed on a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

While in Europe, he toured extensively and played with Dexter Gordon, Kenny Drew, Horace Parlan, and Thad Jones.

Hagans has worked extensively with producer and saxophonist Bob Belden on a variety of recordings and live performances, including their ongoing Animation/Imagination project.

The Norrbotten Big Band is a 17-piece jazz orchestra for whom Hagans wrote and arranged original compositions, with guest artists including Randy Brecker, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Peter Erskine, and Rufus Reid, an enterprise culminating in the Grammy Award nominated album, The Avatar Sessions: The Music of Tim Hagans, for which the Norbotten Big Band traveled to New York.

With Blue Wisp Big Band With Bob Belden With Marc Copland With John Fedchock With Jon Gordon With Jon Irabagon With Vic Juris With Stan Kenton With Andy LaVerne With Joe Lovano With Mark Masters With Ron McClure With Bob Mintzer With Maria Schneider With Bert Seager With Steve Slagle With Ernie Wilkins With others