Man Jumping

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Man Jumping was a British group that formed in England in 1983 out of members of the larger collective The Lost Jockey. The group was conceived mainly as a recording project. According to saxophonist Andy Blake, the aim was to develop post-minimalist music further towards rock, funk and dance, without the faults of The Lost Jockey. The line-up consisted of Andy Blake on saxophones and flute, Martin Ditcham on percussion, and Orlando Gough, John Lunn, Glyn Perrin, Charlie Seaward and Schaun Tozer on keyboards, bass and cello.

Music and breakthrough

Their music took ideas from world music, electronics and funk and made of them an alternative world music to dance to. Gough said in 1985 that they came out of systems music and were also influenced by Frank Zappa, James Blood Ulmer and Bach. A demo by the producer Mike Hedges led to a contract with Bill Nelson's Cocteau Records. The first album Jumpcut was released in early 1985 and received enthusiastic reviews. It was chosen record of the year by, among others, The Times, The Guardian and The Independent. In 1987 World Service followed, with Simon Limbrick in place of Ditcham, who had gone on tour with Sade.

Influence

The group existed for only four years and two albums, but its influence lasted. Man Jumping connected the mathematical rigour of minimal music with the warmth of dance music, a leap between two worlds that belongs to the pop history of the 1980s.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 1984Jumpcut
• 1987World Service