„Pannonica de Koenigswarter, born Kathleen Annie Pannonica Rothschild, was one of the most important promoters of Modern Jazz”, according to the entry in Wikipedia. Kathleen was closely connected to Thelonious Monk as well as to his family, and in return for her selfless support as benefactress he dedicated several compositions to her.

“Pannonica” - arguably one of Monk’s most known works - is also the namesake of this fascinating project by the “Baroness of the low notes and deep sounds”, Gina Schwarz. Gina pays tribute to the patronage of Kathleen Rothschild and at the same time opens up a conscious female “sight for listening“.

Gina Schwarz acts as a prudent but sovereign bandleader, and is known to be a gifted and fascinating bass player, as well as a composer and an arranger. Her music leaves a lot of room for interpretation, which creates a fascinating interplay, exciting solos, as well as an ever surprising flow of ideas for co-musicians and listeners alike.

Gina Schwarz has been a bandleader of formations like “Schwarzmarkt” or “Jazzista”, as well as coordinating projects like “Unit”, featuring Jim Black. Over time she has become a highly productive catalyst of the present Austrian jazz scene. This recording is a sustainable proof thereof.

Pannonica started as a stage band at Porgy & Bess Jazz club in Vienna during the 2017/18 Season. The project invited international female composers and musicians as special guests, who performed their task exceptionally on eight highly variable and exciting evenings. A profile of this work performed by Gina Schwarz’s new excellently cast formation Pannonica is captured on this double CD: CD 1 “Musicbox“ , and the newly arranged material on CD 2 “Free Landscape”.

Gina Schwarz (bass, composition), Lorenz Raab (trumpet, flugelhorn), Lisa Hofmaninger (soprano saxophone, bass clarinet), Alois Eberl (trombone), Florian Sighartner (violin), Clemens Sainitzer (violoncello), Philipp Nykrin (piano), Primus Sitter (guitar), Judith Schwarz (drums)