Aardvark Jazz to Give World Premiere at St Peter’s NYC Nov 11, Second Concert: Westport CT Nov 13

Oct. 17, 2011 - PRLog -- Boston’s critically acclaimed Aardvark Jazz Orchestra, (Mark Harvey music director) continues its historic 39th season with two concerts:  Saint Peter’s in Manhattan (Lexington Ave at 54th St) on Friday, November 11 at 7:30 pm, and Christ & Holy Trinity Church in Westport (45 Church Lane, Westport, CT 06880) on Sunday, November 13, at 4:00 pm.


“Aardvark suggests the best and the brashest of Charles Mingus, Gil Evans, George Russell, and even Frank Zappa.”  -  JazzTimes

“a stunning hour of music that is, in turn, beautiful, poignant and raucous”  ~ Billboard.com

“exuberance, imagination and sheer brio”  - Jazz Review


The November 11 concert at Saint Peter’s will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Society for the Arts, Religion, and Contemporary Culture.  Highlights will be the New York premiere of founder and music director Mark Harvey's Blood on the Sun/New Moon Rising commemorating 9/11, and the world premiere of a Fanfare for 50, composed by Harvey for the occasion.  For decades, Saint Peter's has been world-renowned as Manhattan's jazz church, where the late Reverend John Garcia Gensel founded the Jazz Ministry more than 40 years ago.  As a tribute to him, Aardvark will perform the celebrated Duke Ellington composition The Shepherd, a tonal portrait of Pastor Gensel. Mark Harvey, a United Methodist minister, assisted Pastor Gensel in many services and celebrations at Saint Peter’s, including All Nite Soul events, Jazz Vespers, memorial services for Howard McGhee and Kenny Dorham, and other events.  Admission:  $20.
Information:  1-888-887-7169


The November 13 concert at Christ & Holy Trinity in Westport will feature sacred and secular music by Duke Ellington. The band will perform Ellington standards and rarities across five decades including The Mooche, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Caravan, Wild Man Blues (from the major motion picture Paris Blues), and Billy Strayhorn's Daydream.  Sacred music will be drawn from all three of Ellington's Sacred Concerts; selections will include Come Sunday, Heaven, The Shepherd, and It's Freedom, featuring the Christ & Holy Trinity Choirs.  Admission $$35 preferred seating, $25 general adult, $10 general child under 18.  Information:  203 227 0827.   Purchase Tickets Online at http://chtwestport.org/tickets  Tickets at the door are $5 more.

With global distribution of 10 CDs and wide-ranging performances in festivals, clubs, concert halls, colleges and universities, The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra has been a major force in the international jazz scene for almost 40 years.  Winner of the 2000 Independent Music Awards, the band is known for its eclectic concerts spanning the jazz and American music spectrum, from original works by Mark Harvey to the music of Duke Ellington and other jazz greats, to performances with film, dance, poetry, concert choirs and symphony orchestras.  Aardvark has premiered more than 130 works for jazz orchestra and has released 10 CDs to critical acclaim around the globe, including 5 discs on the Leo Records label.  The band’s latest release, American Agonistes, was hailed as “a stunning hour of music that is in turn beautiful, poignant and raucous” (Billboard.com). Guest artists who've appeared with Aardvark include Sheila Jordan, Geri Allen, Dominique Eade, Jaki Byard, Jimmy Giuffre, Jay Clayton, Robert Honeysucker, Walter Thompson, Rajesh Mehta, Paul Lovens, and Harvie Swartz.  New York trumpeter extraordinaire Taylor Ho Bynum is an Aardvark member.  Aardvark alums include Frank London, Ken Filiano, Tom Varner, John Clark, George Garzone, Marcus Rojas, and Marshall Sealy.

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 performed in New York as part of FONT (the Festival of New Trumpet Music) and in venues such as The Village Gate, Roulette, and the Public Theater.  Harvey has received awards and commissions from ASCAP, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the 15th Annual John Coltrane Memorial Concert, the Organization of American Kodaly Educators, 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.  

The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra is managed exclusively by Americas Musicworks
Rebecca DeLamotte, Managing Director
Toll Free:  888-887-7169.      In Massachusetts: 617-776-8778  
www.americasmusicworks.com   ~   www.aardvarkjazz.com
Email:  delamotte-amw@comcast.net

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Americas Musicworks represents award-inning chamber music and jazz ensembles that offer specialty concerts for large and small venues, creative residencies, and custom recording projects. Themes range widely from the Renaissance to the avant-garde. Our mission is to deliver distinctive programs and world-class performance to build and energize audiences. Every client receives personal attention and close communication, to ensure a smooth working relationship. We also provide expert PR support to complement and enhance each presenter’s efforts. Visit us at www.americasmusicworks.com