Greg Ward, born 1982, is quickly becoming one of the most renowned virtuoso players in his generation. His unique versatility allows him to play a variety of styles, including Modern Jazz and Latin, as well as Classical Jazz, Latin, Indian, Klezmer, African Music, and Classical Jazz. Ward was raised in a musical family and sang in Gospel choirs as a child. He then decided to dedicate his life entirely to the saxophone. The Downbeat Magazine High School Jazz Soloist Award 2000, participation in the Stean’s Institute at Ravinia 2001, scholarships from Colorado’s Vail Jazz Workshop, and selection to the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s Jazz Mentor program were just a few of the many honors that followed. Fred Anderson, a legendary saxophone player, selected Ward in 2002 to host the Wednesday Night Jam Sessions at Chicago’s Premier Jazz Club, The Velvet Lounge. Ward has performed with great musicians such as Frank Wess and Al Jarreau, Carl Allen and Rufus Reid. He has also performed with Hamid Drake and Brian McNight. Ward has toured the globe in countries like Peru, Singapore, Guam and Switzerland. He is a member Ernest Dawkins’ Chicago 12, Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls and the Proliferation Quartet. He is also the leader of the experimental soul band We Tree and co-directs TBD Improvisation Orchestra. He has recorded for the Roguart and 482 Music, Dawk Music and Delmark labels. Ward’s many musical interests led him to pursue Crossover and Classical music as a performer and composer. Recent commissions include a chamber piece for ICE (International Contemporary Ensemble), a ballet for the Peoria Ballet Company, and a septet to Gallery 37’s Downtown Sound Gallery Composer’s Series. In June of 2007, he composed a quartet for sax, cello, guitar, and percussion(Infatuation With the Flame) that was performed as a part of the International Contemporary Ensemble’s ICE Fest 2007 and on the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chamber Music Series. from http://www.gregward.org
