jump blues
what it is
Jump Blues began in the 1930's and was a popular and influential style of up-tempo dance blues until the latter half of the 1950's when it was eclipsed by Classic Rock & Roll. Singer and saxophonist Louis Jordan had a residency at night club Elk's Rendezvous in Harlem and it is argued that Jump Blues was inititially popularised there by Jordan's band, "The Tympany Five". Singer and trumpeter Louis Prima, another musician who dabbled in Jump Blues, was performing as early as the 1920's but in more of a New Orleans Jazz style.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make jump blues a playlist
turn these 23 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is jump blues?
Jump Blues began in the 1930's and was a popular and influential style of up-tempo dance blues until the latter half of the 1950's when it was eclipsed by Classic Rock & Roll. Singer and saxophonist Louis Jordan had a residency at night club Elk's Rendezvous in Harlem and it is argued that Jump Blues was inititially popularised there by Jordan's band, "The Tympany Five". Singer and trumpeter Louis Prima, another musician who dabbled in Jump Blues, was performing as early as the 1920's but in more of a New Orleans Jazz style.
What are good jump blues albums to start with?
Try Good Rockin' Blues by Wynonie Harris, The Blues; That's Me! by Illinois Jacquet, They Call Me the Fat Man: The Legendary Imperial Recordings Disc 3 by Domino, Fats, and Love Tattoo by Imelda May.
Who are some women making jump blues?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/jump-blues/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making jump blues, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20