Stompy Jones is a San Francisco based sextet, renowned for their
jumpin' rhythm, wailing improvisations, hip charm, retro style,
and explosive stage show. Whether appearing at a posh supper club,
concert hall, festival or cozy tavern, these journeymen of jump
deliver the romping, joyous, overwhelming style of jazz that came
to be known as Rock and Roll!
Little David Rose's thumpin' stand-up bass, the double-shuffle
drumming of Lee Beary, and the bounce piano of Scott Lawrence provide
the rhythmic foundation of the band's jump style. Riffing on top
is the trumpet sound of Robert Dehlinger and Erv Ervin on the saxophone.
These two fellas create the fireworks of vintage rhythm and blues.
The charming Christopher Binnings' soulful vocals have become a
trademark of Stompy Jones.
Stompy Jones came into existence in May of 1998 at the Hi Ball
Lounge in San Francisco. Little David Rose talked the owners of
the Hi Ball into letting him host a swing jam session on Tuesday
nights with the intent of finding musicians interested in forming
a rhythm and blues dance band. After a month of Tuesdays, he was
set with a six-piece jump band that could recreate the jaunty blues
sound of Louis Jordan and the Tympany Five.
This same scenario could have been told in the 1940s by Roy Milton,
Joe Liggins, or T-Bone Walker. These musicians, all former big band
members, crafting a small group sound based on the enormous success
of Louis Jordan, created the Rhythm and Blues Era as well as the
independent record industry. This west coast phenomenon became the
foundation of Top 40 radio and what is now called Rock 'n Roll.
These small group sounds, the shuffle drumming, bounce piano, arpeggiated
bass lines were also the basis for Louis Prima's success in Las
Vegas in the late 1950s. Prima put lounge music on the map with
his revved-up jump style.
Little David Rose has endeavored to recreate these historic sounds,
as well as combine these vintage elements with a contemporary sensibility,
to craft the solid sound of Stompy Jones.