by Michelle Mercer, NPR Saxophonist and composer Greg Ward’s latest album, Stomping Off From Greenwood, is a tribute to Chicago, the city where he came of age as a musician. It’s also one of the year’s first great jazz albums. The first time I played Ward’s new album, I was riveted by its sense of momentum … Read More
Vanessa Rubin Makes Jazz Composer Tadd Dameron Sing by Dan Polletta, WCPN Tadd Dameron was one of the most important composer/arrangers of modern jazz, but outside of “If You Could See Me Now,” and a few other songs, the Cleveland native’s works really haven’t been performed by vocalists. Vanessa Rubin decided to change that with “The Dream Is … Read More
Victor L. Schermer, All About Jazz Prolific saxophonist, composer, band leader, and educator Dave Liebman is a living legend, an NEA Jazz Master who has been making waves since the 1970s and never stops growing, learning, and discovering. His autobiography, What It Is (Scarecrow Press, 2012, with Lewis Porter) is an honest probing of his more than half century experience … Read More
Dave Sumner, Bandcamp Greg Ward Presents Rogue Parade Stomping Off From Greenwood There’s a menacing presence to the new one from Greg Ward. It gets in your face, and it chooses strength over subtlety more often than not. That’s what commands attention. But the slithery tempos and electronic idiosyncrasies are the sources of the album’s … Read More
Giovanni Russonello, The New York Times Greg Ward and Rogue Parade, ‘The Contender’ The alto saxophonist Greg Ward’s new album, “Stomping Off From Greenwood,” has the rusted, resonant sound of so much beat-driven jazz coming from Chicago natives today (Jeff Parker, Makaya McCraven, Marquis Hill). But its instrumentation — alto sax, two guitars, bass, drums … Read More
Matt Micucci, Jazziz Christian Li and Mike Bono, “Puddles” After almost a decade of working together, pianist Christian Li and guitarist Mike Bono released their debut co-led album, Visitors, on January 16 via Tone Rogue Records. This nine-track collection of originals opens with “Puddles,” written by Bono, who tells JAZZIZ that he wrote it “when I … Read More
Stephen Graham, Marlbank Jazz Blog It is fitting that the first notes you hear on Black Lion are from the bass. Dezron Douglas you will know from a lot of records. Recently he was on one of 2018’s best albums Universal Beings by Makaya McCraven. The tune ‘Black Lion’ that lends its name to the … Read More
‘Stomping Off From Greenwood’ by Greg Ward Review The saxophonist’s Rogue’s Parade ensemble reveals its invigorating rapport on a new album. By Martin Johnson, The Wall Street Journal With the aim of furthering his jazz career, alto saxophonist Greg Ward moved from Chicago to New York 10 years ago. He accomplished his objective by returning … Read More
Greg Ward Presents Rogue Parade, “The Contender” by Nate Chinen, WBGO Greg Ward is a Chicago-based alto saxophonist who knows how to reconcile different elements: acoustic and electronic, precise and volatile, inside and “out.” He has an arresting new album, Stomping Off From Greenwood, that brings this gift into clear focus, with a batch of new … Read More
