Brad and Ryan started making tapes in their Iowa dorm rooms in 1996. They convinced Jessie to put viola parts on the tapes starting in 1998 or so. A little while after that, the sounds from Cory's room were just too much and he started putting his keyboard bits on the tapes.
Somewhere in there the live shows began. The first ones were either very weird or very small performances in art galleries and coffeeshops. In 2000, the shows moved into the rock clubs. Jessie still played on tapes but mostly lived in Boulder. Kevin and Grant and Powell and Peter all played in the rhythm section for a time until Phil started playing drums and Steve started playing bass. That was the lineup for about 4 years.
The band made an album called "My Ice-Fingered Ghost" in Chicago in 2003. It came out in 2004 on Future Appletree Records. They toured the midwest a couple of times and played with bands like Outrageous Cherry, The Frogs, The High Strung, Menomena, The Rosebuds, and Quasi. The band holed up in a house in Waterloo, Iowa with a bunch of recording gear in the hopes of recording their second album, but it never really panned out.
In 2006, Brad and Ryan moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. A while later, Cory moved to Saxapahaw, which isn't terribly far away. The three of them resumed playing, this time with a laptop, looper, and hand percussion as the rhythm section. Jessie was living in Baltimore by this point, which though not close isn't too bad for a weekend trip, so she said she'd start to play her viola parts in the band again.
A is Jump is currently writing, recording, and rehearsing new and old material.
I'm doing my dingdangest to be in two places simultaneously tomorrow night --Nightlight and Local 506. While I want to see everyone on the Nightlight bill (http://www.nightlightclub.com/), what's the BEST guess as to when a is jump will begin? I want to see y'all most of all!
I'm all over your show this Saturday at Nightlight! a is jump is going to be the stuff of dreams, even if it were a bad night. But it's going to be a super show. You will be majestic.
you dudes should come play some shows I can get you some... you can sleep in my practice room, or cuddle with sterk, his foot odor problem is actually under control
Hey guys, just thought I'd say that I really like the songs you have up now. Compared to some of your earlier work, they're less grandiose, more intimate--but just as layered. It's a good sound.
hey guys, I've been working up a cover of one of your songs, but I'm not sure what it's called I call it "Plans (to Make Things Better)" if that's not what it's called...please let me know-i'll send it to you when it's finished-hope all's well w/you all. take care-Dan
Thanks, Ryan and others, for accepting me as a friend of A Is Jump. I've enjoyed your Spring shows, and I certainly want to see more local shows posted!
I've posted some amateur videos from your 5/13/08 night in Chapel Hill NC at Local 506. Here are the URL's. -Hope you enjoy them!
A Is Jump (1), 5/13/08 Local 506 http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=acau1czzei0 A Is Jump (2), 5/13/08 Local 506 http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=AmXLHRfs7VY
Neva Dinova (1), 5/13/08 Local 506 http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=acau1czzei0 Neva Dinova (2), 5/13/08 Local 506 http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=O0byBV532G0 Neva Dinova (3), 5/13/08 Local 506 http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=H9beRClpfhE Neva Dinova (4), 5/13/08 Local 506 http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=zDwQhGusNkI
Ladyhawk (1), 5/13/08 Local 506 http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=00tnXx4TAOU Ladyhawk (2), 5/13/08 Local 506 http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=Mx3-IjlCX1o Ladyhawk (3), 5/13/08 Local 506 http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=RhPNnzT_Tz4
