Conductor Ed Partyka has planned a program of big band jazz classics. An imaginary journey takes us to New York streets and clubs, presenting the some of the most incredible big band music ever written performed by New York’s top jazz musicians: Thad Jones, Bob Brookmeyer, Jim McNeely and more. Since we cannot currently visit New York and American musicians cannot currently visit Finland, we thought we could bring a taste of the Big Apple to Helsinki.

The arrangements for the concerts are exceptional: tickets are sold for only 200 people, and the audience is seated in the Savoy’s auditorium for 750 people with fair safety intervals. There are only single,  double and quartet ticket packages on sale, which can be purchased only at Lippu.fi online store. The seats are positioned so that the audience does not come into close contact with each other or the performers. Duration about 75 minutes, no intermission. Audience safety at concerts >>

Trombonist, composer, arranger and conductor Ed Partyka (b. 1967) was born in the United States but removed to Europe almost 30 years ago. Today based in Austria, he acts as UMO Helsinki’s Artistic Director and Chief Conductor in 2020–2021. He has collaborated with a number of renowned European big bands, including the German hr-Bigband and NDR Bigband and worked as a guest conductor, artistic planner and arranger for the Vienna Jazz Orchestra and Zurich Jazz Orchestra. Besides leading his own group, the Ed Partyka Jazz Orchestra, Partyka has collaborated with the likes of Bob Brookmeyer, Carla Bley, Robben Ford and even the Finnish pop-rock group Sunrise Avenue. He is the department chairman of the Jazz Institute at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and teaches composition in the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Lucerne, Switzerland. Partyka is known as a first-class orchestra leader and expert on orchestral musicianship.

”Ed Partyka’s imagination and skills range far across the expectations of customary big band arrangements. Where others would write flatly, he combines with a fine sense strong rhythms, voluminous wind instruments, precise breaks and tender interludes with complex voice leading.” Werner Stiefele, Journalist

”Two most recent albums reflect a distinct musical personality and, often, his relaxed and refreshing approach to serious music.” Artsjournal.com