Calefax at Bimhuis

‘Calefax – five extremely gifted Dutch gents who almost made the reed quintet seem the best musical format on the planet’ (The Times).

Ellington’s most loved suite as performed by the internationally renowned Calefax reed quintet. ‘Five extremely gifted Dutch gents’ (The Times).

In the 1930s jazz icon Duke Ellington broke with the tradition of writing merely short compositions. His ambition to bring jazz to the concert halls resulted in longer, classically oriented compositions for big band. The most loved of these ‘suites’ is Such Sweet Thunder from 1957: twelve pieces that each handle a different aspect in the life of William Shakespeare....

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‘Calefax – five extremely gifted Dutch gents who almost made the reed quintet seem the best musical format on the planet’ (The Times).

Ellington’s most loved suite as performed by the internationally renowned Calefax reed quintet. ‘Five extremely gifted Dutch gents’ (The Times).

In the 1930s jazz icon Duke Ellington broke with the tradition of writing merely short compositions. His ambition to bring jazz to the concert halls resulted in longer, classically oriented compositions for big band. The most loved of these ‘suites’ is Such Sweet Thunder from 1957: twelve pieces that each handle a different aspect in the life of William Shakespeare.

Later, after the death of his pianist and right hand Billy Strayhorn, Ellington revealed himself as a religiously inspired person. The River describes the eternal water cycle: from the source to the sea and back via the clouds. Much like a human life is seen through the eyes of believers in reincarnation. For this concert Calefax will collaborate with bassist Tony Overwater and percussionist Wim Kegel.

‘Calefax – five extremely gifted Dutch gents who almost made the reed quintet seem the best musical format on the planet’ (The Times).

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