Aardvark Jazz Orchestra; Mark Harvey, first row center. photo credit: Kate Matson.
UPDATED Dec. 10: The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra, which has Arlington ties, held a Christmas concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at the Church of the Covenant, 67 Newbury St., Boston.
Longtime Arlington resident Mark Harvey, who founded the orchestra in 1973, led the performance. This was the group’s 51st Christmas concert.
photo credit: Danny Goldfield
This year’s show was dedicated to the late Arni Cheatham, a beloved saxophonist with the band for more than four decades, who died in October 2023.
Included in the show’s program are jazz carols, spirituals, American originals and Harvey’s piece titled “The Gift,” dedicated to Cheatham.
“Aardvark is blessed to have had such a wonderful musician and human being in its midst for so long. Rest in peace, Arni,” Harvey wrote in a news release.
Admission to attend this performance was priced at $20; tickets also were available for purchase at the door. Proceeds are earmarked to benefit the area women’s shelter, Rosie’s Place.
The orchestra gave its inaugural concert back in 1973. Every year since then, the group has held a Christmas concert to support a deserving cause. Esteemed guests who have joined the Aardvark Christmas concerts include Sheila Jordan, Howard McGhee, Semenya McCord, Ron Gill, Jack Powers and others.
“The healing power of music is with us throughout the year,” wrote Harvey, “but the Christmas concert is a special occasion for helping those in need and lifting our hearts in the spirit of peace, justice and good will toward all.”
In addition to leading the group, Dr. Harvey is Senior Lecturer in Music Emeritus at MIT, where he taught jazz studies and composition for 40 years.
The Aardvark Orchestra is currently composed of 16 musicians, playing woodwind, saxophone, trumpet, tuba, guitar, string bass, drums and other instruments. There is also a vocalist in the group.
Learn more about the orchestra here >>
This news announcement was published Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, based on information in a news release from Rebecca DeLamotte. it was updated Dec. 1 to add in additional images and again on Dec. 4 to correct information about founder Mark Harvey’s retirement. It was updated Dec. 10, 2023, to indicate that the concert had taken place.
