1999 must have been deemed a banner year for the blues by someone at Capitol Records, issuing a passel of eclectic blues compilations in a month-long period on the EMD/Blue Note label.
Jump Blue is a scholarly homage to the jump subgenre, characterized by sped-up high-hat tempos and lots of tight, fast horn work. This record jumps, too, all over the blues map of time and location, encompassing the vocal stylings of
Dave Bartholomew ("Jump Children"),
Helen Humes ("He May Be Your Man"),
Peppermint Harris ("I Got Loaded," covered in 1984 by
Los Lobos) and
T-Bone Walker ("Teenage Baby"). Possibly the most eyebrow-raising cover: "A Fool in Love" by
Ike and Tina Turner, recorded at the peak of their scorching funk career, certainly not known at the time for their contributions as ministers of jump blues. Other cool keepers from this disc series (which include a hearty helping of jazz and blues/jazz synthetics): Afro Blue, Blue Bacharach, Rhapsody in Blue, Blue So Funk and a half-dozen more. ~ Becky Byrkit