The five musicians of the classical reed quintet Calefax make a versatile ensemble: they play Rameau just as easily as Zappa. When they added a self-arranged version of Ellington’s The River to their repertoire, they didn’t shy away from looking for a jazz trio that, together with them, would be willing put new life into this relatively unknown masterpiece. The Tony Overwater Trio was considered the ideal partner for the job. The cooperation went so well, that they decided to record The River and also Ellington’s Far East Suite. Both pieces will be performed at this festival. The fact that double bassist Tony Overwater has been nominated, once again, for the prestigious Bird Award this year, proves that Calefax made a very good choice.
