Press Release
Wiesbaden (Germany), October 2026
State Youth Jazz Orchestra Hesse (Landesjugendjazzorchester Hessen) releases new album „Warped World“
On the 8th of November 2026 the State Youth Jazz Orchestra Hesse will release a new album featuring modern and contemporary big band jazz by the current generation of young musicians. The album was produced in collaboration with Ed Partyka and Holger Fröhlich.
It has been eight years since their last release, now the State Youth Jazz Orchestra Hesse (LJJO Hesse) has produced a new album. “Warped World”, set for release in November, marks the ensemble’s 14th album and its first studio recording since 2018.
The album was recorded in April 2026 at the renowned Bauer Studios in Ludwigsburg (Germany), where several of the ensemble’s albums have already been recorded. Over the course of three days, a total of 58 young musicians recorded the seven tracks. For many of them, it was their first experience in a professional recording studio.
Ed Partyka plays a special role in the current production; he has served as artistic director alongside Holger Fröhlich since 2024. As a composer, arranger, conductor, and teacher, he is one of the defining figures of the European big band scene. His work with the ensemble also shapes the musical style of the new album.
Last year, the ensemble celebrated its 40th anniversary. Several new works were created for this milestone, including “Warped World” by saxophonist and composer Kira Linn, who herself was a member of the Kicks & Sticks big band for many years. This piece ultimately gave the entire production its name. Linn describes her composition as a musical response to a world marked by many tensions. This idea shapes the character of the first side of the record, which features exclusively original compositions.
The A-side opens with “Eklipse,” a composition by Sammy Wahlandt, the current drummer for the Kicks & Sticks. He first brought the piece to the orchestra’s intensive rehearsal period in April. It impressed bandleader Ed Partyka and the ensemble so much that it was recorded in the studio just a few days later.
The production is completed by additional compositions and arrangements by Ed Partyka (“Overcast,” “Get Happy”), as well as Maria Schneider’s “Green Piece,” which opens the B-side, and David Hirschfelder’s “Natural Selection” in an arrangement by Jan Wessels. The two vocal ensembles, Junior-Voices and Kicks-Voices, have recorded an a-cappella version of the classic “What’ll I Do.” All sections of the State Youth Jazz Orchestra can be heard on the record: the Kicks & Sticks and Kicks-Voices on the A-side, and the Junior-Kicks, Junior-Voices, and Kicks-Voices on the B-side.
The album reflects different perspectives on the same present. While the first side deals with uncertainty, complexity, and friction, the other side responds to the resulting fractures and tensions with hope, curiosity, drive, and optimism.
“Warped World” will be released on the 8th of November on vinyl and all major streaming platforms.
The State Youth Jazz Orchestra Hesse is one of the oldest ensembles of its kind in Germany. Hesse’s best young jazz talents perform in four different ensembles. Under the direction of Ed Partyka and Holger Fröhlich, they have the opportunity to further develop their musical skills at a professional level and gain stage experience. The LJJO Hesse serves as a flagship for the state of Hesse, performing in major concert halls and at festivals around the world. For many members, their time with the ensemble lays the foundation for subsequent music studies and careers. Numerous alumni have gone on to enjoy success in the jazz scene, both as soloists and as members of renowned bands.
The State Youth Jazz Orchestra Hesse is part of the Junge Musik Hessen gGmbH (Young Music Hesse NPO).
Infos
More Information (in German)
www.ljoh.de | www.junge-musik-hessen.de
Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify
If you would like further information in English, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Manager
Katharina Bernard
+49 160 9468 7979 | katharina.bernard@junge-musik-hessen.de
