Michael Ward

Michael Ward Biography Michael Ward is one of the few instrumental musicians who have chosen to play Jazz on the violin. Michael studied music at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana under the great Alvin Batiste. He has traveled around the world performing at many of the world's most popular venues and festivals. He hails from San Antonio, Texas and has resided in New Orleans the past eighteen years. He has performed with some of the world's top legal entertainers throughout his career. Some include Jazz greats such as Wynton Marsalis, Lionel Hampton, Ronnie Laws and Al Hurt.

He has performed and recorded with many of today's leading blues artist such as Kenny Neal, Jeff Healy, Buddy Guy and Gate Mouth Brown. Michael has also recorded "Blood on the Fields" by Wynton Marsalis, "Hoodo Moon" by Kenny Neal, "Country Rockin" by Bayou Lagniappe, "Rhino and the Safari Men", by Mike Freley, "Swamp Blues" by Clarence Edwards and many others.

He has recorded on more than fifty different CDs covering several styles of music from Jazz to Blues, Country and Zydeco, Cajun and Pop and Hip-Hop. He has worked on the Movie soundtracks for "Heaven and Hell", "Interview with a Vampire" and "Rosewood." He has three CDs of his own on the market "Just Me", "Laid Back" and newly released "Make A Wish." All three releases were featured in Downbeat Magazine and Jazztimes Magazine. Michael has shared the bill with many of the world's top entertainers in his musical career such as Najee, George Benson, Stanley Clarke, Gerald Levert, Gladys Knight, B.B. King, Howard Hewitt, Cameo, Ohio Players, Norman Brown, Roberta Flack, Hiroshima, Bonny James, Franky Beverly and Maze, Michael Franks, Spyro Gyro and many others.Michael has also had the pleasure of performing for two American Presidents, one being Mr. George Bush for the 1992 Drug Summit and number two for President Bill Clinton for a Democratic fundraiser held in New Orleans, Louisiana. Michael Ward has also played some of the world's most esteemed festivals such as the Essence Music Festival, the New Orleans Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy and many others in Europe and South America. To bring added notoriety to his accomplishments, Michael was asked to perform on May 27, 2002 at the Birthday party for legendary Gladys Knight.

Throughout his career, Michael has dedicated much of his free time on the road going to many different schools and youth programs performing and conducting free workshops and clinics. In the year 2001-2002, Michael conducted 120 workshops in High School and Elementary Schools through the Arts and Education programs of Louisiana. When Michael is not traveling, he can be found at many of the top live entertainment venues in New Orleans such as the House of Blues and Tipitinas. Michael has won many awards for both his work as a performer and as an educator catering to inner-city children. Michael won the 2001 All-Star Jazz Musician of the Year Award given by the City of New Orleans and was awarded Top Jazz Performer two years in a row presented by Offbeat Magazine. Michael's latest CD entitled "Make A Wish" is currently receiving airplay on the largest cities hottest radio stations through the country.

Michael Ward is presently signed under our management company and currently has completed his new CD CONTINUUM. Starting on September 19, 2003, this tour will be entitled The Michael Ward CONTINUUM Tour.