Author(s): Nica De Koenigswarter

Music

In the 1950s, 60s and 70s, Pannonica de Koenigswarter, known as Nica, was a constant and benevolent presence on the thriving jazz scene. Known as the Jazz Baroness (she was born into the wealthy Rothschild family and later married to a French aristocrat) she befriended such giants as Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Barry Harris, Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Bud Powell and many more. She inspired over twenty-five jazz compositions, bailed musicians out of jail and even acted as a booking agent. She also collected wishes. Over the course of a decade, Nica asked three hundred musicians what their three wishes in life were, jotting them all down in a notebook. At the same time she took hundreds of candid photographs, saving them all.In "Three Wishes" Nica's forays into the psyches and lives of these legendary jazz artists are made available for the first time. With a foreword by celebrated jazz critic, Gary Giddins and an introduction from Nica's granddaughter, Nadine de Koenigswarter, providing rare insights into the mysterious baroness' life, this funny, eclectic and moving compilation is uniquely intimate look into the immortals of the classic era of jazz and a must have for any fan or aficionado.