Aardvark Jazztet at Saint-gaudens National Historic Site

The Aardvark Jazztet (Mark Harvey, trumpet and music director; Arni Cheatham, saxophones; Peter H. Bloom, flutes and saxophones; John Funkhouser, piano; Jesse Williams, string bass; Harry Wellott, drums) is a noted sextet drawn from the internationally acclaimed Aardvark Jazz Orchestra (“lush sonorities and a saxophonic blend worthy of Ellington’s finest reed sections” Jazz Times). The group will perform hits by Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Fats Waller, others, and music by Mark Harvey, July 29 in Claremont NH and July 30 at St Gaudens National Historic Site, Cornish NH.

The July 29 show will include hits like In a Sentimental Mood by Duke Ellington, Ain’t Misbehavin by Fats Waller, and A Foggy Day by George Gershwin, plus Mark Harvey’s Claremont Suite, originally written for the Claremont 250th anniversary in 2014. On July 30, the group will perform Summertime by George Gershwin, Night and Day by Cole Porter, and C Jam Blues by Duke Ellington. The show will feature the world premiere of Mark Harvey’s piece honoring Augustus Saint Gaudens, called SGS (Saint Gaudens’ Studio), commissioned for the occasion....

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The Aardvark Jazztet (Mark Harvey, trumpet and music director; Arni Cheatham, saxophones; Peter H. Bloom, flutes and saxophones; John Funkhouser, piano; Jesse Williams, string bass; Harry Wellott, drums) is a noted sextet drawn from the internationally acclaimed Aardvark Jazz Orchestra (“lush sonorities and a saxophonic blend worthy of Ellington’s finest reed sections” Jazz Times). The group will perform hits by Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Fats Waller, others, and music by Mark Harvey, July 29 in Claremont NH and July 30 at St Gaudens National Historic Site, Cornish NH.

The July 29 show will include hits like In a Sentimental Mood by Duke Ellington, Ain’t Misbehavin by Fats Waller, and A Foggy Day by George Gershwin, plus Mark Harvey’s Claremont Suite, originally written for the Claremont 250th anniversary in 2014. On July 30, the group will perform Summertime by George Gershwin, Night and Day by Cole Porter, and C Jam Blues by Duke Ellington. The show will feature the world premiere of Mark Harvey’s piece honoring Augustus Saint Gaudens, called SGS (Saint Gaudens’ Studio), commissioned for the occasion.

The musicians of the Aardvark Jazztet are members of the renowned Aardvark Jazz Orchestra (now in its 44th season) led by founder and music director Mark Harvey. These six musicians have impressive credentials playing with leading jazz, blues, and classical ensembles as well as national and international touring experience. The Aardvark Jazztet has appeared at the National Gallery (Washington, DC), Ocean Park Music Festival, Harvard University, Emmanuel Church, and the Rockport Music Festival, to name a few.

The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra has been called “stunningly beautiful” (New York City Jazz Record), “spellbinding” (The Boston Globe) and “one of the best jazz ensembles in the world” (Jazz Podium, Germany). The band has premiered more than 175 works for jazz orchestra, has released 14 CDs to international acclaim, and has performed with guest artists Sheila Jordan, Jaki Byard, Jimmy Giuffre, and other luminaries. Trumpeter-composer Mark Harvey has recorded with George Russell (Blue Note) and Baird Hersey (Arista/Novus) and performed with Gil Evans, Claudio Roditi, Howard McGhee, Sam Rivers, and others. A winner of awards from ASCAP, the National Endowment, and Meet-the-Composer-Lila Wallace/Reader’s Digest Commissioning Program, Dr. Harvey teaches jazz studies and composition at MIT.

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