Ed Partyka’s A Program of Arrangements and Compositions for Jazz Orchestra is not only how Ed sees himself in the year 2025, but it is also a tribute to his main inspiration and mentor, Bob Brookmeyer. Ed’s desire of becoming a writer of music for large jazz ensemble was made possible by meeting Bob in 1991. Having studied and worked with his mentor until his death in 2011, Bob instilled in Ed the concept “finding your people.” That means finding musicians you want to write for and who also want to play your music. The four compositions and arrangements on this album features a wide variety of extended ensemble passages ranging from intimate chamber music moments to dramatic orchestral climaxes, with each member of the orchestra playing an important role in the development of the m usic. It is stately in its presentation, and wonderfully conceived.

Edward A. Partyka

Ed Partyka is an arranger, composer, conductor and educator specializing in music for large jazz ensemble. He is originally from Chicago, Illinois, and holds a BA degree from Northern Illinois University. In 1990, he moved to Germany, where he earned a performance degree in jazz trombone from the Musikhochschule in Cologne. From 1993 to 1995, he was a member of the G.E.M.A. Jazz Composers Workshop under the direction of Bob Brookmeyer and Bill Dobbins.

As a bass trombonist and tuba player, Ed has toured and performed with the Bob Brookmeyer New Art Orchestra, Vienna Art Orchestra, Carla Bley, WDR Big Band, NDR Big Band, Mnozil Brass, Gansch & Roses, Roman Schwaller Nonet and many more.

As a recording musician, Ed Partyka can be heard on over 60 albums, including 14 under his own name.

He currently leads the Ed Partyka Jazz Orchestra, is musical director of the Zurich Jazz Orchestra and also conducts the State Youth Jazz Orchestra of Hessen, Germany. From 2019 to 2025, he was chief conductor and artistic director of the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra and has appeared as a guest conductor with the Danish Radio Big Band, HR Big Band, NDR Big Band, SWR Big Band, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Swiss Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, RIAS Big Band, RTV Big Band Slovenia, Latvian Radio Big Band, German National Youth Jazz Orchestra (BuJazzO) and many others.

Ed Partyka is Professor of Jazz Theory and Composition at the University of Music and Performing Arts (KUG) in Graz, Austria, where he was Head of the Jazz Department from 2007 to 2020. He also teaches composition at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) in Switzerland and is Executive Director of the International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ).