UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra tackles the music of its new Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, Ed Partyka. Jazz vocalist Nina Mya brings in some stardust as orchestra’s soloist. The compositions were created during the exceptional circumstances of spring 2020 and are specifically written to UMO’s outstanding soloists. The concert will also feature a few older Partyka’s compositions and arrangements that skillfully utilizes the big band’s expression, as well as a few classics from Feist and Tom Waits. Partyka has a relaxed and refreshing approach on big band jazz, which makes the concert approachable.

The arrangements for the concert 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 moved 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.

Nina Mya is a rewarded Finnish jazz singer, composer and vocal teacher. She has published three albums as a band leader: Flying Solo (2012), Our Time (2014) and Closure (2016), which was also published and praised in Germany. She has performed all around the world in big arenas, festivals and clubs. Besides of her own band she has performed and recorded also as a featuring artist with many big names in the music industry, such as Frank McComb, Tia Fuller, Iiro Rantala and Jukkis Uotila. Nina Mya has a dark, technically impressive voice and she is a soulful and strong interpreter who combines jazz, soul and gospel influences in a unique way. www.ninamya.com

”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

“Jazz singer Nina Mya’s international name might even fool someone with her origin: her voice, sound, style and technique reminds of a confident professional with a much longer career path.” Helsingin Sanomat