Hailed for “spirited composition and inspired playing “ (Jazz Alchemist, Poland) and praised for “expansive harmony, brilliant music...discipline, openness, and freedom” (CultureJazz.Fr, France), the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra celebrates its landmark 40th season with the world premiere of music director Mark Harvey’s epic new work, Boston JazzScape on Friday, March 8, 2013 at 7:30 pm, at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115. Tickets are $20 for members, seniors and students; $25 non-members. For information and reservations: 800-440-6975 or http://www.mfa.org/programs/music/aardvark-jazz-orchestra
Boston JazzScape, composed over 10 years, shows off Harvey’s command of styles ranging from swing, bop, and blues to Third Stream to free improvisation. The piece tells a fascinating story of Boston, from the Revolutionary War to the Great Fire of 1872 to Sacco and Vanzetti to the infamous urban renewal of the West End (a precursor to the Big Dig), from Boston-born jazz maven Nat Hentoff to social crusader Kip Tiernan, from the back story of the Charlie Card to Mayor Kevin White’s Summerthing.

Founded in 1973, Aardvark is one of the longest running large jazz ensembles in the world, a major force in the international jazz scene for 40 years. The band has premiered more than 150 works for jazz orchestra and has released 11 CDs including 6 discs on Leo Records, a leading adventurous music label. Guest artists who have appeared with Aardvark include jazz luminaries Jaki Byard, Sheila Jordan, Jimmy Giuffre, Geri Allen, Lewis Porter, Vinny Golia, Dominique Eade, Jay Clayton, Paul Lovens, Rajesh Mehta, Matt Savage and Walter Thompson.

Aardvark’s latest CD, Evocations, was named by The New York City Jazz Record as one of the magazine’s picks for Best of 2012.

Founder and music director Mark Harvey was honored by the City of Boston and the City of Cambridge, as both cities proclaimed January 30, 2013 Mark Sumner Harvey Day in recognition of his contributions to the arts, music education and community outreach.

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. A world-renowned composer, he has received awards and commissions from ASCAP, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the 15th Annual John Coltrane Memorial Concert, 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 and composition at MIT. He is a founding board member of the nonprofit jazz advocacy organization JazzBoston.

Aardvark is: Arni Cheatham, Peter Bloom, Phil Scarff, Chris Rakowski, Dan Zupan/saxes and woodwinds; K.C. Dunbar, Jeanne Snodgrass/trumpets; Bob Pilkington, Jay Keyser/trombones; Jeff Marsanskis, Bill Lowe/bass trombones, tuba; Richard Nelson/guitar; John Funkhouser/string bass; Harry Wellott/drums; Jerry Edwards and Grace Hughes, vocalists; Mark Harvey/trumpet, music director.

The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra is managed exclusively by Americas Musicworks, Rebecca DeLamotte, director. Telephone: 617 776 8778. Visit: www.aardvarkjazz.com and www.americasmusicworks.com