Czech-Ease Artists : Marco Panascia

Marco Panascia (pana-SEE-ah) is an Italian-born bassist,  composer and educator living in New York City, and a proud  Czech-Ease endorser since the instrument's inception.  His proficiency in many different musical situations and  settings, and his strong doubling skills on the acoustic and  the electric basses have earned him wholehearted praise  worldwide. Panascia has made a name for himself by being  featured in the working bands of several jazz luminaries,  such as Kenny Barron, Natalie Cole, Andy Bey, Eric Reed,  Dado Moroni, Alvin Queen, Bobby Watson, Peter Bernstein, Tamir Hendelman, Claudio Roditi, and David Kikoski, and by  regularly appearing in some of the world's top music festivals and venues, such as the Montreux Jazz Festival,  the Hollywood Bowl and the Kennedy Center for the Performing  Arts. Panascia is also known for his tenure with young jazz  piano sensation Eldar, which delivered sold-out performances  in three continents, and culminated in two celebrated CD releases on the Sony BMG Masterworks label: "Live at the Blue Note" and  "re-imagination," which received a 2008 Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.

Mentored by Los Angeles studio legend Carol Kaye, Panascia  was the first prize winner of the 1998 Edinburgh  International Double Bass competition in Scotland, and went  on to earn a Bachelor of Music degree from the Berklee  College of Music in Boston, and a Master of Music degree  from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, as a  full tuition scholarship recipient.

Panascia's performance credits on acoustic and electric  bass include some of the most highly regarded artists on the  contemporary jazz scene and beyond, such as Herbie Hancock,  Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, Quincy Jones, Bobby McFerrin, Dave  Liebman, Roy Hargrove, Chris Botti, Gary Burton, Seamus  Blake, Peter Erskine, Adam Nussbaum, Alvin Queen, Lewis Nash and Tamir Hendelman. Whenever he has time off from his hectic worldwide touring schedule, Panascia can be heard  performing in some of New York's most celebrated venues,  as a leader of his own trio and quintet, or as a sideman  with several world-renowned musicians on the scene.

For more information, please visit www.marcopanascia.com