The Piano Craft Gallery will be hosting an exhibit titled “Fly Away Home, in memory of Arni Cheatham”. The photography exhibit will be held from Dec. 20-31, 2023. An opening reception will take place Dec. 20, 6-8 PM. Visit the Piano Craft Gallery web page on the exhibit to learn more about Arni’s life and his lifelong interests across the arts, from photography to jazz.
Arni Cheatham (1944 – 2023) was Aardvark’s lead alto saxophonist for 45 of the band’s 51 years. He excelled at styles from the blues to swing to free improvisation to ballads, owning the trademark on our ensemble’s version of Daydream by Billy Strayhorn. Arni was often compared with the celebrated alto soloist, Johnny Hodges, in Duke Ellington’s Orchestra. Indeed, Duke’s words on the passing of Hodges are strikingly resonant: ‘Because of this great loss, our band will never sound the same.’ Aardvark was blessed to have had such a wonderful musician and human being in its midst for so long. Rest in peace, Arni.
–Mark Harvey, Aardvark Jazz Orchestra director and founder