The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra celebrated the 125th anniversary of jazz icon Duke Ellington’s birthday (April 29, 1899) with a special concert presented by GBH and JazzBoston, part of their ongoing JazzNOW Series.
Watch the full JazzNOW: Salute to Duke Ellington concert presented by the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra below:
We were excited to cap off our 51st season with this extraordinary event.
The show took place at the GBH Studios on June 6, from 7:15 pm to 9:00 pm with a live audience and is now available for viewing online. The event was hosted by James Bennett II, a co-host of GBH’s The Culture Show and an arts and culture reporter for GBH News.
Program:
The Mooche
I’m Beginning to See the Light
Come Sunday
Caravan
Chinoiserie
Blues To Be There
New World A’Comin’
It’s Freedom
No Walls (composed by Mark Harvey)
Satin Doll
Featuring:
The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra
Mark Harvey, Music Director
Tim Ray, piano
Grace Hughes, voice
Widely recognized for their Ellington performances, Aardvark presented classics like Caravan, selections from suites such as Blues to Be There from the Newport Jazz Festival Suite, and music from the Sacred Concerts including Come Sunday and It’s Freedom.