Gina Schwarz
Biography
Gina Schwarz is an Austrian jazz bassist and composer.
The Vienna-based jazz bassist and composer Gina Schwarz studied jazz bass and accordion at the Vienna Conservatory, jazz bass performance at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and bass popular music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (Mag. art.), where she has been teaching since 2011. She can be heard in a wide variety of national and international projects as well as in numerous productions - also as a bandleader.
Since 2005 the bandleader has been composing, arranging and producing for Schwarzmarkt, Airbass, Jazzista, Unit feat. Jim Black, Pannonica, Fusao and Multiphonics 8. She founded the formation Pannonica in 2017 as Porgy & Bess Stage Band and invites international guests to join.
In 2007 she received HANS KOLLER Prize and NEW YORK BEST OF 2007
Award.
In 2020 & 2021 she was invited as Composer in Residence for the international
festival Multiphonics in Cologne and in 2022 for the program BROTA Buenos
Aires as Artist in Residence.
2022 she was nominated for AMADEUSAUSTRIANMUSICAAWARDS in JAZZ
category; 2022 in WORLD MUSIC category and 2023 in GRENZGÄNGE
category for Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik.
Current Album
Gina Schwarz & Multiphonics 8: Way to Blue, Cracked Anegg Records 2022
Gina Schwarz: composition, arrangement, bass
Annette Maye: Bb-clarinet
Mona Matbou-Riahi: Bb-clarinet
Steffen Schorn: contra-alto clarinet, C-melody sax
Thomas Savy: bass clarinert
Lucas Leidinger: piano
Mahan Mirarab: guitar
Dirk-Peter Kölsch: drums
Daniel Manrique-Smith: flute
The Austrian jazz bassist and composer Gina Schwarz (Composer in Residence 2020 & 2021at Multiphonics Festival, Cologne) was inspired by the British folk singer, guitarist and composer Nick Drake. Only after his untimely death did he become a cult star, who is admired and celebrated today for the beauty, transparency and depth of his music.
Drake's songs, which appeared on three studio albums, are characterized by desperate melancholy as well as by tenderly budding hope, now they are the starting point for Gina Schwarz's compositional ideas. As a composer and arranger, it is important to Gina Schwarz to continuously build tension and give space for development. Just as Drake has partly built up his albums like a story that becomes a little more transparent and understandable with each chapter, their new compositions can also be interpreted as an independent cycle.
A woodwind section with almost the entire clarinet family, various flutes and a rhythm section present a powerful sound. Tension is constantly built up and the soloists have great slots to shine. Melancholic parts, strong melodies, a lot of rhythm and "far out" passages form the music, which has depth and is full of life.
Discography
- Gina Schwarz & Multiphonics 8, Way To Blue, Crackedanegg Records 2022
- Gina Schwarz Pannonica, All alone 2020, Crackedanegg Records 2021
- Gina Schwarz, Pannonica, Crackedanegg Records 2020
- Gina Schwarz, Woodclock, Crackedanegg Records 2016
- Gina Schwarz, Jazzista, Unit Records 2013
- Co-Production mit Big Band Legend Richard Oesterreicher/ harp, Airbass, ATS Records 2008
- Gina Schwarz & SchwarzMarkt, SchwarzMarkt/ Debut, ATS 2006
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