Jump Blues

Big Band Jazz, blues, Gospel, and Boogie-Woogie piano all came together during the Swing era to create Jump Blues. Cab Calloway's band accentuated the rhythm while he sang fun-filled novelty numbers. Slim Gaillard spoke-sang hilariously surreal songs (often about food) while his band mates shouted call and responses behind. Louis Jordan mastered this form of high energy Jump Blues, and Louis Prima combined it with a big dose of Louis Armstrong's vocal inflections and trumpet flair. The West Coast brand of Jump Blues was highly influenced by the laid-back sound of the Nat Cole's jazz trio and replaced the primal energy with musical and lyrical sophistication. The classically trained singer-pianist Charles Brown was the West Coast's finest exponent. Jump Blues led to R&B and rock 'n' roll - both of which replaced the style as America's good time party music until it became a major component of the '90s Swing Revival scene.