Legendary Aardvark Jazz Orchestra continues 40th season Nov 10 at 8 PM, MIT Cambridge

Oct. 18, 2012 - PRLog -- The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra, one of the longest running large jazz ensembles in North America, will continue its historic 40th season at MIT’s Killian Hall with a post-election concert called Satire & Salutations, made possible by the DeFlorez Fund for Humor at MIT.  The band will channel the spirit of Mark Twain and H.L. Mencken through its own inimitable musical commentary on politics and culture.  Expect a high-energy mix of original works by Aardvark director Mark Harvey, including Flat Earth Boogie, De-Evolution Blues, Theocracy Shuffle and No Broccoli Blues.

Other highlights of the 2012-2103 season include Aardvark’s 40th Annual Christmas Concert at Emmanuel Church Boston on December 15, 2012 and the world premiere of Harvey’s Boston JazzScape (10 years in the making) at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts on March 8, 2013.  For more events and further details, visit:  www.aardvarkjazz.com

The 40th season also marks the international release of Evocations, the band’s 11th CD and its 6th disc on Leo Records, a leading independent label whose catalogue includes such notables as Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra, Anthony Braxton and The Art Ensemble of Chicago.  Jazz Podium (Germany) hailed Evocations for a “modern and absolutely unique sound,” while Uni Magazine (Czech Republic) praised the band's "never-ending movement, change, turbulence, playfulness, contradictions...provokes and surprises."

A major force in the international jazz scene for 40 years, Aardvark has premiered more than 130 works for jazz orchestra. Guest artists who have appeared with Aardvark include jazz luminaries Jaki Byard, Sheila Jordan, Jimmy Giuffre, Geri Allen, Lewis Porter, Vinny Golia, Dominique Eade, Jay Clayton, Paul Lovens, Rajesh Mehta, Matt Savage and Walter Thompson.

Music director Mark Harvey has performed as trumpeter in the U.S., Mexico and Europe; has recorded with George Russell (Blue Note) and Baird Hersey (Arista/Novus); and performed with Gil Evans, Claudio Roditi, Howard McGhee, Sam Rivers, Joe Carroll, Kenny Dorham and others.  He has received awards and commissions from ASCAP, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the 15th Annual John Coltrane Memorial Concert, the MIT Wind Ensemble and Meet-the-Composer-Lila Wallace/Reader’s Digest Commissioning Program, among others.  Commissions have featured such notables as Joe Lovano, Steve Turre, Herb Pomeroy and Ran Blake. Dr. Harvey teaches jazz studies at MIT.  

Aardvark is: Arni Cheatham, Peter Bloom, Phil Scarff, Chris Rakowski, Dan Zupan/saxes & woodwinds; K.C. Dunbar, Jeanne Snodgrass, Taylor Ho Bynum/trumpets; Bob Pilkington, Jay Keyser/trombones; Jeff Marsanskis, Bill Lowe/bass trombones, tuba; Richard Nelson/guitar; John Funkhouser/string bass; Harry Wellott/drums; Jerry Edwards & Grace Hughes, vocalists; Mark Harvey/trumpet, music director.

The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra has won kudos from critics around the globe:
Expansive harmony, brilliant music...discipline, openness, and freedom:  
a sumptuous work… an exceptional big band.     -- CultureJazz.Fr (France)

Spirited composition and inspired playing.   - Jazz Alchemist (Poland)

Exuberance, imagination and sheer brio.  Jazz Review (UK)

Aardvark is managed by Americas Musicworks, telephone: 1-888-887-7169, visit: www.americasmusicworks.com