Jump came into being in1991, when brothers Marc and Paul Kelly got together with
long-time friends Andrew Grimwood (Grim) and John Viney.
Taking inspiration from their experiences in the late 80’s rave scene (Sunrise,
Biology, Energy) and then into the underground club scene of the 90’s, the quartet
began working in a home studio recording tracks that combined disco and house
with a large helping of funkiness. Those early recordings made their way onto
acetate (a single pressing record of limited plays!!!)) which Paul then played out
when DJ’ing.
Grim, John and Marc were the ‘musicians’ that had played in live bands (indie) and
alongside Paul, the three musicians and a DJ started forging their sound.
The spring of ’92 saw Paul playing the latest project off acetate at clubs such as
Independence and their own ‘Jump’ parties. The track was immediately filling
dancefloors with hands in the air.
The track was complete, road tested and ready to be pressed onto white label.
Combining funk and disco influences into house, Funkatarium was conceived:
An environment where funk takes place, and this is the First Uptown Funkatarium.
Pressed initially on 500 white labels, Funkatarium sold out within a day. A further
1000 were pressed and again sold out within days before being picked up by record
label Dark Records and went on to sell 20,000 copies for that release. Many of the
top DJ’s of the time played Funkatarium including Judge Jules, Pete Tong and Billy
Nasty and it was featured on East Enders and in the indie film ‘Harry On the Boat”.
Funkatarium featured on many compilations most notably Cream Anthems and
Ministry of Sound: Dance Nation 3 which both sold in excess of half a million copies.
Then in March 1997, after being licenced by Heat Records, Funkatarium entered the
official UK National Charts selling 10,000 copies in one week alone.
Further remixes in 2008 (featuring Paul’s Re-Funk remix) and the Hoxton Whores in
2013 were received with critical acclaim.
To date well over a million copies of Funkatarium have been sold world-wide
(including compilations) and it has been licensed around the world including Spain
and Italy and has had over 120,000 listens on YouTube and over 60,000 on Spotify.
Jump continued with Dark Records after the first release of Funkatarium in ‘92 with
two more releases in ’93 and ’94 and a whole host remixes for the likes of Perfecto.
Through the 90’s the band continued to release tracks under various other monikers
including Dr. Syntax, Big Surge and Jacksun Heids.
Jump re-formed in in 2017 and started work on new material and then, in 2020,
Made On Earth records came along……..
Jump Releases
Funkatarium/Groovalution – White label then Dark Records -1992
Luv It Up/Dubberound/Disco Sound – Dark Records –1993
No Rich Fat Daddy – Dark Records 1994
1997 – Funkatarium released on Heat Records reached number 56 in the UK charts
2008 – Funkatarium Remix (Invasion and Re-Funk mixes)
2013 – Funkatarium Remix (Hoxton Whores)