Carlos Ward

Carlos Nathaniel Ward ( born May 1, 1940 in Ancon, Panama ) is an American jazz musician (alto saxophone, flute, composition) Panamanian origin.

Life and work

Ward, who grew up in Seattle, began the age of thirteen on the clarinet and was involved soon in the school band. At John Jessen he took clarinet and saxophone lessons; after his call-up for military service, he attended the Navy School of Music, and then playing in military bands in Germany. During this period he met in jam sessions at Albert Mangelsdorff and Karl Berger. In Frankfurt am Main, he had the opportunity to hear Eric Dolphy in one of his last concerts. After military service he met in 1965 in Seattle John Coltrane know and could enter every night of the guest performance. In the same year he moved to New York City to join the group of Coltrane. He also played with Sunny Murray, Don Cherry, Berger, David Izenzon, Rashied Ali and Paul Motian. He joined the Jazz Composer's Orchestra, where he met Carla Bley, in a group he then also played.

1972 Ward joined the funk band BT Express to the he recorded several hits. 1973 began working with Abdullah Ibrahim, in whose group he remained as an important soloist until 1986. Later he became a member of various groups Don Cherry, about NU (shared with Mark Helias, Ed Blackwell and Naná Vasconcelos ). In 1986, he replaced Jimmy Lyons in the group of Cecil Taylor, before 1987, he founded his own quartet with Charles Sullivan, Alex Blake and Ronnie Burrage, but also took with Woody Shaw on the North Sea Jazz Festival. In the 1990s he played with both Cherry and Don Pullens African- Brazilian Connection.

As a saxophonist himself Ward is characterized by a rough, bluesy sound and a great adaptability to different contexts.

Lexigraphic entries

  • Ian Carr et al Jazz Rough Guide Metzler, Stuttgart 1999; ISBN 3-476-01584- X
  • Martin Kunzler, Jazz Encyclopedia Vol 2 Reinbek 2002; ISBN 3-499-16513-9
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