UMA is a common project of two musicians – Aleksei Saks and Robert Jürjendal – who came together in the beginning of 2007. UMA plays it’s members' compositions, which have kind of nordic ambient atmosphere enriched with soundscapes and free or jazz improvisations.
London Jazz Festival 2009 presented UMA as
„An unconventionally beautiful combination of guitar, trumpet and the rarely-heard corno da caccia“.
Aleksei Saks plays trumpet and rarely used corno da caccia both coloured with sound effects and looper. Robert Jürjendal plays mostly Ovation semi-acoustic guitar (new standard tuning) equipped with midi-pickup using Roland VG-8, loopers, etc.
In 2008 UMA released its first CD "Civitas Soli" (Elwood) , recorded in Keila, Estonia with producer Markus Reuter , Germany and mixed/mastered by Robert Rich , USA.
Second album „HymnTo Undiscovered Land“ (2010, UMAMUSIC) was recorded together with experienced and unique percussion player Andi Pupato (Switzerland) from ECM band Nik Bärtsch's Ronin. Album also featuring Tim Bowness , a British singer, primarily known as vocalist/co-writer with the band No-Man.
„The fact that it’s not quite jazz, post-rock, art rock, ambient or even electronica, matters not one jot when music is as effortlessly inventive or as exquisite as this.“
Sid Smith, Classical Rock Prog Magazine
“There is no one equal to UMA in Estonia in creating an eternal spiritual atmosphere and painting in sounds.â€
Joosep Sang, Postimees