The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra continues its 43rd season with an exuberant show at MIT Killian Hall, 160 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA 02142, November 14 at 8 pm, free admission. On tap: Mark Harvey’s Spaceways (for Sun Ra), De-Evolution Blues (for the current political season), and the premiere of Harvey’s Tritonology. Special highlight: FiLmprov Cha Cha Cha! in which Aardvark improvises a soundtrack for Kate Matson’s animated film– ripped, cut, folded, crumpled, flipping, flopping, flying paper on film, with vibrant black/white forms, vivid color shapes, and explosive movement.
FiLmprov combines animated films by contemporary filmmaker Kate Matson with live improvisation by members of the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra and stellar guest artists, led by Music Director Mark Harvey. Matson creates a theatre of visual improvisation originating on Super 8 film by animating objects (from cotton balls to condoms to tiny dancing dolls) that have significance for her sculpturally, spiritually, and politically. FiLmprov has appeared at MIT, Harvard University, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Society for Arts, Religion, and Contemporary Culture in New York City, Suffolk University Law School, Berklee College of Music, Boston’s Church of the Advent Library Concert Series, Sangha (Takoma Park, Maryland), and other venues.
Founded in 1973, The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra is one of the longest-running large jazz ensembles in the world. The band has given premieres of more than 175 works for jazz orchestra, performs widely, and appears on 13 CDs, including 7 discs from Leo Records, one of the world’s leading adventuresome music labels. Guest artists who have appeared with Aardvark include jazz luminaries Jaki Byard, Sheila Jordan, Jimmy Giuffre, Geri Allen, Raj Mehta, Lewis Porter, Dominique Eade and Matt Savage.
Mark Harvey is the founder and music director of the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra and teaches jazz studies at MIT. Harvey has performed in major venues including Fenway Park and Symphony Hall, Boston, the Knitting Factory and the Village Gate (NYC), the National Gallery of Art (DC), the Left Bank Jazz Society (MD), the Southern California Institute of Architecture (CA), the Berlin Jazz Festival (Germany), and the Baja State Theater (Mexico). He has recorded with George Russell’s Living Time Orchestra (Blue Note) and Baird Hersey & the Year of the Ear (Arista/Novus); appeared with Gil Evans, Howard McGhee, Sam Rivers, Claudio Roditi, and other notables; and has received numerous commissions In 2015, Dr. Harvey was named Boston Jazz Hero by the Jazz Journalists Association, one of 24 jazz advocates/activists recognized nationally for significant contributions to their communities.
Aardvark is: Arni Cheatham, Peter Bloom, Phil Scarff, Dylan Sherry, Chris Rakowski, Dan Zupan, saxes and woodwinds; K.C. Dunbar, Jeanne Snodgrass/trumpets; Bob Pilkington, Jay Keyser, Jeff Marsanskis, Tom Plsek/trombones; Bill Lowe, bass trombone/tuba; Richard Nelson/guitar; John Funkhouser/string bass; Harry Wellott/drums; Mark Harvey/ music director. The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra is managed by Americas Musicworks, Rebecca DeLamotte, Managing Director, 29 Newbury Street, Somerville, MA 02144, Telephone 617-776-8778. Email: delamotte-amw@comcast.net Visit: http://www.americasmusicworks.com
