So, the booklet photo sez it all: seven white dorks playing some of the most classic, most revered jazz standards. That is not to say these boys can’t belt this stuff out; this release proves that they can. The simple liner comment from Jackson notes that when he was growing up this was backstreet, hidden, “forbidden” music, songs of ill repute, which makes it clear that this album is a deeply felt homage, his own British effort to bring them out, show them, and accrue the respect they are due. Yeah, I get all of that.
But it seems this music is attacked rather than interpreted. The opener, the one setting the tone and pace for the album is “Jumpin’ with Symphony Sid.” You’ve hear this one covered a dozen times or more, a more recent one from Van Morrison, but this cover is so sped up and so rushed that there’s not a lot of time for enjoyment—it’s hard enough just to keep up.
It keeps right up with “Jack, You’re Dead,” speedy and a little too hip. The uber-classic “Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby?” is nice, but it seems a little under-produced, a little weak on the bottom end, especially the walking bass. The pace is back for “We the Cats (Shall Hep Ya)” and then things slow for the “St. James Infirmary”-like “San Francisco Fan.” This is a classic torch song, but Joe’s heartfelt singing just isn’t quite right for this piece.
“Five Guys Named Moe” is fun, almost a novelty number, very speedy, as are the following “Jumpin’ Jive” and “You Run Your Mouth (and I’ll Run My Business). Then there’s the blues tune “What’s the Use of Getting Sober,” which Joe is singing the hell out of, but his voice just isn’t quite right for this kind of son. Also, this one has a pseudo-novelty conversation embedded which easily could be mistaken as some seriously bad racial condescension.
Bringing it on home is another speedy one, “You’re My Meat” followed by the classic “Tuxedo Junction.” “Tuxedo” really should just swing, easily and simply, but this one is almost ponderous with its percussion, different sections that all don’t quite fit together smoothly. Last up is “How Long Must I Wait for You,” closing it out as we started, frenzied and loose, with an interesting little fade in the middle that really, really brings to mind the Star Wars cantina song.
Bottom Line: if you love these jazz/swing classics, then some additional covers might just work for you. To my listening this one is all about love and respect, JJ putting these down as they clearly have meaning to him.
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Jumpin' Jive
Rmst ed.
Reissued, Remastered
$11.95 $11.95
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Jumpin' Jive (Remastered 1999)
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MP3 Music, January 1, 1999
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Audio CD, July 7, 1987
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Track Listings
| 1 | Jumpin' With Symphony Sid |
| 2 | Jack, You're Dead! |
| 3 | Is You Is Or Is You Ain't Ma Baby |
| 4 | We The Cats (Shall Hep Ya) |
| 5 | San Francisco Fan |
| 6 | Five Guys Named Moe |
| 7 | Jumpin' Jive |
| 8 | You Run Your Mouth (And I'll Run My Business) |
| 9 | What's The Use Of Getting Sober (When You're Just Gonna Get Drunk Again) |
| 10 | You're My Meat |
| 11 | Tuxedo Junction |
| 12 | How Long Must I Wait For You |
Editorial Reviews
NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE
Product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Language : English
- Product Dimensions : 5.59 x 4.96 x 0.39 inches; 3.17 Ounces
- Manufacturer : A&M
- Item model number : 2572201
- Original Release Date : 1999
- Date First Available : July 26, 2006
- Label : A&M
- ASIN : B00000HY5I
- Number of discs : 1
- Best Sellers Rank: #108,920 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #38 in Retro Swing
- #1,189 in New Wave
- #3,270 in Pop Singer-Songwriters
- Customer Reviews:
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Customer reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
159 global ratings
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Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2022
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2004
The "retro-swing" movement of the late 1990s really started in 1981 with this album, the first genuine piece of retro-swing. In the midst of the electronic 80s era, Joe Jackson's pure hard-swingin' album covering old jazz swing classics from the 1930s and 40s was both a complete anachronism and a jolt of musical energy. It never achieved huge mainstream popularity, but has been a consistent seller since it came out and helped revive swing the 1990s. Many of the popular 1990s swing bands performed the songs that Joe Jackson covered, often sounding very close to Jackson's versions. For example, the incredible San Francisco band Lee Press-On and the Nails perform "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid" and "How Long Must I Wait for You" in their live shows in renditions that sound like direct homages to Joe Jackson.
This album still rocks the house, and it has aged better than 90% of the music from the early 1980s. It still sounds fresh, fun, and energetic, and seems to leap out of the speakers and crash right into your living room (especially with the superb re-mastering; it sounds better than it ever has). Swing is timeless music that every generation discovers and re-discovers, and Joe Jackson knew exactly how to maintain that quality in his covers. These aren't "modernizations" of the music, but THE music, just as it was enjoyed in 1930s and 1940s.
On the back of the album cover is a brief blurb the Jackson wrote in 1998 about how he got together his band (seven pieces) and recorded the album. Jackson, a man who seems to have experimented with every musical genre imaginable, sings and plays the vibes. The band isn't quite as sharp as the musicians on the originals, but they're skilled and more than make up for it with enthusiasm. Jackson's voice fits the music well, and he has fun with different voices, especially on "You Run Your Mouth and I'll Run My Business."
The songs here principally come from the early jump blues tradition and from the novelty songs of Cab Calloway. The hardest swinging piece and the big stunner of the album is the opener, "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid." Legendary saxophonist Lester Young wrote this piece in 1940s (named after a popular New York DJ), and Jackson and Co. really tear into it with high speed fury. It's joyful, jazzy, high-energy...in other words, it's the essence of swing.
All the other tracks are great too. "San Francisco Fan" is a slow, gritty blues from the Cab Calloway camp that is similar to two of his most popular numbers, "St. James Infirmary" and "Minnie the Moocher." Jackson growls and snarls the lyrics in a menacing way. Two other Cab Calloway covers, "The Jumpin' Jive" and "We the Cats (Shall Hep You)," let the band rip into some of the most delightful bits of scat nonsense ever written ("Reap this Righteous Riff, mop! mop!" "The Jim Jam Jump is the Jumpin' Jive makes you dig your jive on the mellow side!"). Some of the numbers come from famous jump blues singer and saxman Louis Jordan: the bluesy "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby," "You Run Your Mouth and I'll Run My Business," and the very funny "Jack Your Dead." The Jordan numbers helped re-popularize the artist in the 1990s, and his songs became the most popular for retro-swingers to cover.
Finally, Jackson attacks a number that Glenn Miller made into a #1 hit, "Tuxedo Junction." However, Jackson goes back to the original performed by Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra and makes it sassy and loud. It's one of the most inventive adaptations on the album.
On the back cover, Jackson mentions that people have always asked him if he plans to make another album like this one. His response is `no,' because if people want to have more of the same, they should go back to the source. Although I certainly wouldn't mind a "Jumpin' Jive 2," I agree with Jackson's sentiments: this is a great `gateway' album to introduce you to classic jazz swingers like Jordan, Young, Basie, Hawkins, and Calloway. Anyone who has enjoyed retro-swing will absolutely love this. Anyone who already loves old swing will appreciate Jackson's very respectful and high-energy covers. Heck, anyone who just loves rock or quality popular music will probably love this album. It helped revive a classic form of American music and has become a classic itself. Come on and Jump with Symphony Joe! Let it roll!
This album still rocks the house, and it has aged better than 90% of the music from the early 1980s. It still sounds fresh, fun, and energetic, and seems to leap out of the speakers and crash right into your living room (especially with the superb re-mastering; it sounds better than it ever has). Swing is timeless music that every generation discovers and re-discovers, and Joe Jackson knew exactly how to maintain that quality in his covers. These aren't "modernizations" of the music, but THE music, just as it was enjoyed in 1930s and 1940s.
On the back of the album cover is a brief blurb the Jackson wrote in 1998 about how he got together his band (seven pieces) and recorded the album. Jackson, a man who seems to have experimented with every musical genre imaginable, sings and plays the vibes. The band isn't quite as sharp as the musicians on the originals, but they're skilled and more than make up for it with enthusiasm. Jackson's voice fits the music well, and he has fun with different voices, especially on "You Run Your Mouth and I'll Run My Business."
The songs here principally come from the early jump blues tradition and from the novelty songs of Cab Calloway. The hardest swinging piece and the big stunner of the album is the opener, "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid." Legendary saxophonist Lester Young wrote this piece in 1940s (named after a popular New York DJ), and Jackson and Co. really tear into it with high speed fury. It's joyful, jazzy, high-energy...in other words, it's the essence of swing.
All the other tracks are great too. "San Francisco Fan" is a slow, gritty blues from the Cab Calloway camp that is similar to two of his most popular numbers, "St. James Infirmary" and "Minnie the Moocher." Jackson growls and snarls the lyrics in a menacing way. Two other Cab Calloway covers, "The Jumpin' Jive" and "We the Cats (Shall Hep You)," let the band rip into some of the most delightful bits of scat nonsense ever written ("Reap this Righteous Riff, mop! mop!" "The Jim Jam Jump is the Jumpin' Jive makes you dig your jive on the mellow side!"). Some of the numbers come from famous jump blues singer and saxman Louis Jordan: the bluesy "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby," "You Run Your Mouth and I'll Run My Business," and the very funny "Jack Your Dead." The Jordan numbers helped re-popularize the artist in the 1990s, and his songs became the most popular for retro-swingers to cover.
Finally, Jackson attacks a number that Glenn Miller made into a #1 hit, "Tuxedo Junction." However, Jackson goes back to the original performed by Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra and makes it sassy and loud. It's one of the most inventive adaptations on the album.
On the back cover, Jackson mentions that people have always asked him if he plans to make another album like this one. His response is `no,' because if people want to have more of the same, they should go back to the source. Although I certainly wouldn't mind a "Jumpin' Jive 2," I agree with Jackson's sentiments: this is a great `gateway' album to introduce you to classic jazz swingers like Jordan, Young, Basie, Hawkins, and Calloway. Anyone who has enjoyed retro-swing will absolutely love this. Anyone who already loves old swing will appreciate Jackson's very respectful and high-energy covers. Heck, anyone who just loves rock or quality popular music will probably love this album. It helped revive a classic form of American music and has become a classic itself. Come on and Jump with Symphony Joe! Let it roll!
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2021
Joe brings his energetic delivery to some of the best songs of the big band era. I personally consider Louis Jordan the first rock star. And Joe does a great job on several of his songs. In fact, this album was my introduction to the music of Louis Jordan. If you like Louis, or if you like Joe, or if you just like fun songs, you'll love this CD.
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2021
Truly a great homage to the music of the ‘40’s counter culture. How can one not enjoy “What’s the Use of Gettin’ Sober When You’re Gonna Get Drunk Again?”, Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby?”, or even “Jack, You Dead”? Probably the best version of Glenn Miller’s “Tuxedo Junction” - Joe incorporates the trumpet solo from Miller’s “String of Pearls” in the middle. Very well done.
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2019
Joe Jackson at his best , boy does he groove, saw this years ago late night tv, could not wait to buy it, wish i could see the live show on dvd, He swings with the best of them. He has been great and adventerous thu out his career, saw him live in NYC this year, he still has it
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2003
Joe Jackson may have stumbled occasionally in his career (Night and Day II) and he's certainly been pretentious at times (Body and Soul) but this album is right on the mark. It's not the phony swing music that came along a decade later as a temporary fad, this album is a true tribute and faithful redition of music Jackson loved as a child. It's well played by a large emsemble devoid of "modern" instruments and sounds. Jackson obviously has a passion for swing, jump and jive music that comes through on every track. Joe Jackson fans won't be disappointed and true jazz fans will be pleasantly surprised.
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2019
These are great covers of these songs and this album introduced me to this genre of music. Glad to get it digitally.
Top reviews from other countries
Peter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Swing!
Reviewed in Australia on August 25, 2019
relatively modern homage to louis jordan style swing, fun album
-----
5.0 out of 5 stars
気に入った
Reviewed in Japan on December 7, 2013
高校生のときに貸レコード屋で借りて聞いた思い出がよみがえった。懐かしい。
Ella James
5.0 out of 5 stars
Joe Jacksons Jumpin Jive
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 19, 2014
I really love this album. I have the original on vinyl but moving along with the times I now listen more through the pc and rigging up the pc to record from the record player (it's an old thing that we used to use for music) is beyond me so I bought the cd. It took a while to arrive as it was from U.S.A but I wasn't in a rush and it came quicker than I expected. It came wrapped as new but the picture is the newer yellowy cover with the tracks on the front and not the one shown but I bought it just to download onto my pc so I can listen to it while doing pc type things. The disc itself was perfect and played faultlessly, downloaded easily and I am now listening to it as i write this review! The album itself is Joe Jackson paying homage to some of the blues men that he appreciates himself and after listening to some of the original versions he has done an excellent job. Brilliant!
2 people found this helpful
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Smitty Werbenjaegermanjensen (real name)
4.0 out of 5 stars
Guilty Pleasure
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2013
A curious album indeed. Joe Jackson was lying sick and decided what he wanted to do to cheer himself up(this was not a 3 day head cold, rather something more serious and long term) was to record some of his favourite old jazz tracks. This was the result, an album that sort of slipped short of being jazz to be loved by jazzers and was certainly not pop/new wave to attract the folks who came to his music with Look Sharp.
So what has it got going for it?
Great tunes delivered with a love for the material and enough zest to get folks up and dancing. I love it. Whilst the singing is weak at times(remember Joe was ill) the playing and choice of material is top notch. Joe and the band tear into it like men possessed.
Jumpin' Jive itself is a great tune and once heard sticks in the jukebox of the mind.
Great lively fun album.
So what has it got going for it?
Great tunes delivered with a love for the material and enough zest to get folks up and dancing. I love it. Whilst the singing is weak at times(remember Joe was ill) the playing and choice of material is top notch. Joe and the band tear into it like men possessed.
Jumpin' Jive itself is a great tune and once heard sticks in the jukebox of the mind.
Great lively fun album.
4 people found this helpful
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Iain
5.0 out of 5 stars
An old friend
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 28, 2012
Never quite got around to replacing the vinyl copy of this and it's remained unplayed for years. Joe's new band played it all somewhere in Arundel St. in Pompey around '81 when it was a experiment and a battle with the music press. There were Graham Maby and Joe on stage playing this form of jazz. It was a revelation that you could step out of the main stream. Finally I've bought the CD and it matches my memories of the gig and the record. As the new sleeve notes from Joe say, this is music to bring out every few years and cheer yourself up. Really committed vocals, fantastic horns and an excellent mix. A must have CD.
4 people found this helpful
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