Legendary Aardvark Jazz Orchestra Releases Video of Livestream CD Celebration, Faces of Souls

SOMERVILLE, Mass. - Nov. 21, 2020 - PRLog -- The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra has released a video of the recent livestream event celebrating the orchestra's new CD, Faces of Souls.  Jazz journalist Bob Blumenthal interviewed Aardvark director Mark Harvey, and played excerpts from the CD, accompanied by archival photos.

Faces of Souls is Aardvark's 16^th CD and the band's 10^th release on Leo Records, one of the world's leading independent labels. The disc was praised by Jean Buzelin (CultureJazz.Fr): "The most beautiful big band in the world…Mark Harvey has an uncanny mastery for balancing and opposing orchestral masses, and he daringly creates unusual associations and complex rhythms. His orchestra "rings," the nuances stand out, the colors vibrate, the power is expressed fully."

Faces of Souls takes listeners on a captivating journey through seven of Mark Harvey's masterful compositions, with complex harmonies, rhythms, colors and textures.   Harvey's brilliant cast of musicians, many with 30+ years on the Aardvark bandstand, shine in consummate section work and inspired solos.  The title track is inspired by the Shaw Memorial in Boston, Augustus Saint-Gaudens' powerful sculpture of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and his 54^th Massachusetts Regiment, who were among the first African Americans to fight in the Civil War.

View the CD celebration here:
https://mta.mit.edu/events/aardvark-virtual-livestream-interview-and-cd-release

Founded in 1973, The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra has been praised for "exuberance, imagination and sheer brio" (Jazz Review, UK), and called "one of the best jazz ensembles in the world" (Jazz Podium, Germany).  Aardvark guests have included such notables as Sheila Jordan, Jaki Byard, Ricky Ford, Geri Allen, and Jimmy Giuffre.    Founder and music director Mark Harvey, winner of the 2019 Roy Haynes Award, has performed and recorded with jazz greats Claudio Roditi, Gil Evans, Howard McGhee, Kenny Dorham, and others. Dr. Harvey teaches jazz studies at MIT.

Aardvark members (years on the Aardvark bandstand):    Arni Cheatham (44), Peter H. Bloom (44), Phil Scarff (34), Chris Rakowski (20), and Dan Zupan (24), woodwinds; KC Dunbar (31) and Jeanne Snodgrass (32), trumpets; Bob Pilkington (40), Jay Keyser (34), and Jeff Marsanskis (40), trombones; Bill Lowe (27), bass trombone and tuba; Richard Nelson (34) guitar; Rob Bethel (10) cello; John Funkhouser (30) piano and string bass; Harry Wellott (38), drums; Jerry Edwards (38) and Grace Hughes (17) vocalists; and Mark Harvey (48), piano and music director.

The Faces of Souls CD is available here:
https://noteworthysheetmusic.com/cds/734-cd-a-rite-for-all-souls

Aardvark is managed by Americas Musicworks, Rebecca DeLamotte, Telephone:  617 776 8778.