About Me

Chase Ward is a Toronto-based musician, composer, and multi-instrumentalist originally from Victoria, BC. His work is guided by a simple conviction: to create art that invites people into a shared story. Rather than working within a single genre, Ward draws from the jazz tradition while weaving in Latin, Afro-Cuban, and New Orleans influences, dense harmony, and the occasional backbeat. The result is music that moves fluidly, reaching new heights with each performance while remaining grounded in feel rather than labels.

A dynamic presence on Canada’s live music scene, Ward has performed at venues including Hermann’s Jazz Club, where he has led sold-out shows, and The Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar. As a sideman, he has performed and recorded alongside Juno Award–winning artist Jeremy Ledbetter, GRAMMY-nominated artist Joaquín Núñez Hidalgo, and ensembles including The West Coast Soul Collective, The Simon Williams Sextet, Michael Davidson, Kayla Hoshizaki, and The Mumbo Jumbo Combo. He is also the featured drummer on Ryan Van Winkle’s (20 EYES) debut album, Naught For Nothing, and has appeared as a substitute percussionist for Mirvish Productions’ Disney’s The Lion King.

Ward’s primary creative outlet is his trio project, an ever-evolving, improvisatory vehicle rooted in spontaneity, constant evolution, and real-time interaction. While the lineup has shifted over time, frequent collaborators include pianist/arranger Simon Williams and bassist Josh Warren. The trio’s sound is best described not by style but by momentum. A mosaic of kinetic highs and lows, The Chase Ward Trio is an ocean—untamed, untempered.

In September 2025, Ward released his debut record, Senary, a vivid statement of artistic purpose that traces his transition from the West Coast to Toronto. Featuring guest artists Joaquín Núñez Hidalgo and Kayla Hoshizaki, the album channels the conversational energy of classic small-group improvisation through contemporary rhythmic and harmonic language, offering moments of reflection, tension, and shared wonder.

Beyond the bandstand, Ward’s musical foundation has been shaped by mentorship from GRAMMY Award–winning artists Larnell Lewis and Hilario Durán, GRAMMY-nominated artists Joaquín Núñez Hidalgo and Justin Gray, and respected Canadian musicians Mark Kelso and Steve Mancuso. Working across roles as a drummer, percussionist, vocalist, songwriter, composer, arranger, educator, and producer, with a growing practice in mixing and engineering, Ward approaches music-making as both craft and conversation, always in service of connection.