FITTED SHARDS

FITTED SHARDS:

Greg Ward – alto saxophone

Rob Clearfield – keyboards

Jeff Greene – bass

Quin Kirchner ? drums

FITTED SHARDS

Alto saxophonist and composer Greg Ward is rapidly emerging as one of the leading virtuoso saxophone players of his generation, with a unique versatility in a wide variety of styles including Modern Jazz, Funk, Latin as well as Classical, Indian, Klezmer and African Music.  He created Fitted Shards, a Chicago and New York City-based ensemble in 2006, with Rob Clearfield on piano, keyboards, and guitar, Jeff Greene on acoustic and electric bass, and Quin Kirchner on drums and percussion.  Ward set out to create an ensemble that could not only perform his eclectic original compositions, but could also develop a unique group improvisational language.  The music travels from bombast to percolating polyrhythmic undercurrents  to chops-busting unison lines and back again. In 2010, the band released their first recording, South Side Story and received much critical acclaim, including Recording of The Year in the Chicago Tribune.  Fitted Shards has also premiered Ward's commissioned work, including ?The Return”, at the Chicago Jazz Festival and a concerto for jazz quartet and string orchestra, with the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, in College Station, Texas.

Quin Kirchner