Brian Ward - Keyboards
Brian came from a musical family. Having shown signs of a good ear and feel for music, he learned piano at an early age. At the urging of his piano teacher he began playing professionally at age 15 and while still in high school played with the Willamette University Jazz Band in his hometown of Salem, Oregon and was chosen to play a concert alongside Motown publishing artist John West. After high school Brian briefly attended Berklee College of Music in Boston where he studied with Dick Odgren and played and hung out with then young lions André Ward and Charles Craig.
Brian returned to Portland to play music and develop his craft in 1988. It was in Portland where Brian honed his jazz skills among Portland masters such as Leroy Vinnegar, Stu Cook, John Jensen, Ron Steen, Mel Brown, Eddie Weid and Janice Scroggins to name a few. Among Brian’s contemporaries at the time were Jay Collins and Patrick Lamb. Brian immersed himself in the music of Duke Ellington, Horace Silver, Bud Powell, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, George Duke and Kenny Kirkland.
Brian began playing gospel music in African-American churches shortly thereafter where he learned the gospel tradition via “trial by fire.” He was helped along the way by the best of Portland’s black gospel artists such as Lorraine and Roslyn Wilder, Faye Innis and Terry Davis. Brian continues as Assistant Minister of Music at True Vine Missionary Baptist Church.
Using the skills learned from playing gospel music, Brian found his niche accompanying jazz vocalists in Portland including Marilyn Keller, Shirley Nanette, Victoria Corrigan and Johnny Martin. Brian became in demand as a sideman for bands such as the Lily Wilde Orchestra, the Donny Osborne Trio and the Carlton Jackson/Dave Mills Big Band. As a composer and arranger Brian has had his works performed at jazz festivals and concert halls around the country.
During this time Brian completed his formal education graduating from Portland State University with a Bachelor of Music in 1999 and a Master of Science in Teaching in 2001. There he studied piano with Andrew Hill, Randy Porter and Darrell Grant and composition and arranging with Tomas Svoboda, Charles Gray and Bryan Johanson. As a graduate assistant at PSU he taught second year music theory and sight singing and developed a curriculum incorporating jazz improvisation for beginning piano students. Brian has taught applied jazz piano at PSU since 2002.
Always striving to learn music from different cultures, Brian played with Ghanaian Master Drummer Obo Addy and his band Kukrudu and still maintains a musical relationship with Obo as a collaborator and arranger. Brian also delved deep into the blues tradition with legendary bluesman Curtis Salgado with whom he toured the United States and Canada extensively. Most recently Brian has been exploring the afro-cuban tradition with the Bobby Torres Ensemble and has been touring with Native-American performing artist Karen Therese and playing locally with the popular R&B/Funk Band Ocean 503, and newly formed Brazilian/Funk Band Indigo with Chuk Barber, a displaced Hurrican Katrina musician from New Orleans.
Brian is featured as a keyboardist, composer and arranger on many recordings including:
Silver Lining, Pete Peterson
Wonche Be, Obo Addy
Intimate Thoughts, Cary Simms
Twelve O’Clock Moon, Victoria Corrigan
At Last, Marilyn Keller
Unrestrained, Pamela Rae
On Wonderbread, his first CD as a leader, Brian Ward’s compositions and playing show the breadth of his collective musical experience. Brian plays piano, electric piano, Hammond B3 and various synths. At the core of this album is the ensemble approach of his trio consisting of Willy Barber on bass and Reinhardt Melz on drums.