Ward Cole has had a long, distinguished career as a trumpet player, educator, composer and conductor but he is mostly known for his jazz. He was born in Helena, Montana and worked in New York City in the 1950s, playing first trumpet for the Fred Waring Band and as a regular at Radio City Music Hall. He came to Toronto to teach trumpet and conducting at the University of Toronto in the 1960s. While he was there, he was quite busy playing as an extra for the Toronto Symphony. In 1968, he became Head of the Department of Music at the University of Calgary, a post he held for five years. After leaving the University of Calgary, he stayed in the city, working with many of Calgary's finest jazz musicians, including Eric Friedenberg and Al Muirhead. Ward retired in 1981 and later moved to Oceanside, California where he still enjoys composing and performing in local big bands.