Tour Dates:11 Oct - 22 Oct, 2012

Jump4Joy prove that you don't need guitars to make great blues and R&B music. Combining rolling piano lines with catchy horn solos, Jump4Joy deliver feel-good, energetic and toe-tapping sounds.

Tour Dates:11 Oct - 22 Oct, 2012

Ulf Sandström - piano
Bo Gustafsson - saxophone
Surjo Benigh - bass
Kenneth Bjornlund - drums

Jump4Joy prove that you don't need guitars to make great blues and R&B music. Combining rolling piano lines with catchy horn solos, Jump4Joy deliver feel-good, energetic and toe-tapping sounds. Heavily influence by the music of New Orleans, Jump4Joy is a jam-band offering an exciting blend of blues, funk, rock and gospel. The high-energy music and good humored vocals can be summed up by Sandström's moto for the band, "if you don't shake, you don't get no cake".

The Swedish group started out in 1992, and for two decades the piano skills of founder Ulf Sandström, who also sings, and the hot saxophone of Bo Gustafsson has brought the band increasing success. As a child, Sandström was hypnotised by the simplicity and energy of pianists such as Little Richard and Fats Domino. By the age of 12, he'd already been playing the piano for eight years. Further down the line, Sandström was drawn to boogie-woogie and New Orleans blues, which unlike other forms of blues music are upbeat and rely on the piano and horns. By the time he formed Jump4Joy in 1992 with Gustafsson, he already had solid credentials. He'd supported blues guitarist Albert King, and backed New Orleans legend Clarence "Frogman" Henry at Swedish and Norwegian festivals for four successive years. Jump4Joy has performed more than 4,000 gigs bringing its very special humor and energy to club gigs, concerts, festivals, theatres, burlesque shows, dance parties, corporate events, symphony arrangements and gospel choirs.

Jump4Joy's usual arrangement is as a quartet. Ulf Sandström is a groove oriented piano and organ player with a soulful voice. "Mighty" Bo Gustafsson is a powerful tenor saxophone player. His roots in jazz and ska music shine through when he picks up the alto. Surjo Benigh is without doubt one of Scandinavia's finest bass players and a great producer. Kenneth Bjornlund is a fanatical all-round drummer and percussionist who has played together with Benigh for over 15 years - forming a solid rhythm section.

Gustafsson and Sandström have toured together for a century, and perform like one entity. Both have been nominated for their contributions to Swedish blues by the Scandinavian Blues Association with the Janne Rosenqvist Memorial Prize and in 2008 Gustafsson received the Prize.