Aardvark Jazz Orchestra 42nd Annual Christmas Concert at Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Called "spellbinding" (The Boston Globe) and "beyond category" (Downbeat), The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra will perform An American Christmas, celebrating the band’s 42nd Annual Christmas Concert on December 20 at 7:30 pm, Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury St, Boston MA 02116. $20 at the door. Information: 617 776 8778 or 617 452 3205. The show will include William Billings' Shepherd's Carol, two African American spirituals, and selections from the exuberant Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn Nutcracker Suite, plus movements from Mark Harvey’s Bethlehem Counterpoint, including The Prophet, inspired by Boston’s legendary social activist Kip Tiernan (1926-2011). Proceeds will benefit Poor People’s United Fund, an organization that Tiernan co-founded in 1980....

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Called "spellbinding" (The Boston Globe) and "beyond category" (Downbeat), The Aardvark Jazz Orchestra will perform An American Christmas, celebrating the band’s 42nd Annual Christmas Concert on December 20 at 7:30 pm, Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury St, Boston MA 02116. $20 at the door. Information: 617 776 8778 or 617 452 3205. The show will include William Billings' Shepherd's Carol, two African American spirituals, and selections from the exuberant Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn Nutcracker Suite, plus movements from Mark Harvey’s Bethlehem Counterpoint, including The Prophet, inspired by Boston’s legendary social activist Kip Tiernan (1926-2011). Proceeds will benefit Poor People’s United Fund, an organization that Tiernan co-founded in 1980.

Led by founder/music director Mark Harvey, Aardvark gave its inaugural concert December 23, 1973 at the Church of the Covenant in Boston as a benefit for the Chelsea Fire Fund. Every year since then, the band has held a Christmas concert to support a deserving cause. Past beneficiaries have included Doctors Without Borders, American Friends Service Committee, Rosie’s Place, Pine Street Inn, and dozens more. Over the past 40 years, guest artists at the Aardvark Christmas concert have included Sheila Jordan, Howard McGhee, Semenya McCord, Joe Carroll, Ron Gill, Jack Powers, Kip Tiernan, Brother Blue and many others.

Aardvark is: Arni Cheatham, Peter Bloom, Phil Scarff, Chris Rakowski, Dan Zupan/saxes and woodwinds; K.C. Dunbar, Jeanne Snodgrass, Jimmy Leach/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.

Co-founded by Kip Tiernan and Fran Froehlich in 1980, The Poor People’s United Fund works to eliminate the causes of suffering due to poverty. Programs include financial and support services to grassroots organizations meeting the needs of impoverished populations; emergency assistance to a growing number of individuals and families in need of food, housing and health care; and research, education and advocacy.

Aardvark is managed exclusively by Americas Musicworks, Rebecca DeLamotte, director, telephone 617 776 8778 or email [email protected] www.aardvarkjazz.com

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