Carlos Ward is a great altoist, whose bluesy sound can often be more accessible than the music that he plays. He is most well-known as a valuable sideman. Ward was born in Seattle and began playing clarinet at age 13. He also studied at the Navy School of Music while in the military. While stationed in Germany, Ward had the opportunity to play music with Albert Mangelsdorff. He also heard Eric Dolphy who was a significant influence on his music. Ward was discharged and sat down with John Coltrane on “‘Trane’s’ 1965 trip to Seattle. After moving to New York, he played with Coltrane’s unrecorded octet. Ward performed in New York as a freelancer with some of the most prominent “new jazz” performers, including Don Cherry, Sam Rivers and Rashied Ali. Ward was also a member of B.T. Express, a popular funk band. His meeting with Abdullah Ibrahim (pianist/composer) was more important. Ward has been playing off and on with him since 1973. Another important association is Don Cherry’s mid-1980s bands and filling in for Jimmy Lyons in the Cecil Taylor Unit of 1986. Carlos Ward’s debut recording as a leader was Lito, a quartet with Woody Shaw in Leo 1988.
