Pawky

Pawky is a Malmö-based quintet that moves freely through the landscape of jazz—constantly exploring, always in motion. Led by Alice Hernqvist and Aaron Mandelmann, some of Sweden’s most prominent young jazz musicians come together in a collective creation where composition meets improvisation, precision balances spontaneity, and the delicate contrasts with the powerful.

The music takes off from the acoustic jazz tradition but reaches far beyond genre boundaries. Naïve melodies are set against darker, more abstract expressions, and through composed passages and open improvisational spaces, a musical flow emerges that is constantly renewed. Each performance becomes an ongoing dialogue where the interaction between the musicians creates new possibilities in the moment.

"Oh… Wow… Wonderful! Yes, you may have many different reactions when listening to Pawky’s self-titled debut album. This Malmö-based quintet plays jazz that is both humorous and serious. It is thoroughly composed yet sometimes very free. And it swings—both in its straight and skewed passages." – Jonas Lidbrandt Persson, Lira Musikmagasin

With performances at festivals and venues in Sweden, Germany, and Finland, Pawky has established itself as a distinctive voice in contemporary jazz. Their expression is as fragmented as it is cohesive, as immediate as it is thought-out—a living, unpredictable music, always in transformation.

On stage:
Alice Hernqvist – piano, synth
Hannes Bennich – alto saxophone
Olle Hellbring – saxophones
Aaron Mandelmann – double bass
Emma Lönnestål – drums