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Award
Kikker struck gold!

Kikker Swingt! Max Velthuijs and the Tony Overwater Quintet’s first CD struck gold!
Over 10.000 copies were sold, an extraordinary accomplishment. Kikker Swingt! is the fourth Dutch jazz production in history which gets a Golden Record award.

Children’s book writer Max Velthuijs and Tony Overwater started their very productive cooperation in 2003. Because of Max his love for jazz, Tony Overwater was invited to write and perform the music with his quintet to accompany his stories. The performance and CD Kikker Swingt! were received full of praise by both children and their parents.

When Max passes away in 2005, Nico the Vries takes over the story telling. Nico is well known, amongst others, for his part in the movie Otje where he plays the part of father Tos. A second cd, Kikker heeft de Blues, with new stories is recorded. This time the music is written by  the entire Quintet, Marc van Roon (piano), Maarten Ornstein (saxophone and clarinet), Angelo Verploegen (trumpet) en Joshua Samson (percussion).

In 2007 the new CD is released and receives great reviews as well.

Velthuijs’ touching stories, narrated by Nico de Vries, plus the melancholic music of the Tony Overwater Quintet, prove to be a perfect match
- JAN-tje

The band doesn’t play ‘children’s jazz’, instead it takes them seriously by playing mature, contemporary jazz.
- HP/De Tijd

The premiere of the performance Kikker heeft de Blues, will take place during the North Sea Jazz Kids Festival on July 9th in Lantaren Venster, Rotterdam. The Golden Record Award will be awarded during this festival.

Fall 2008 Nico the Vries and the Tony Overwater Quintet will be performing Kikker heeft de Blues in different theatres throughout the Netherlands.