Europe's most exciting acoustic blues duo!
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JOLLY JUMPER & BIG MOE

This fabulous blues duo has existed for about ten years. The harp and guitar has been a traditional format in the blues history, and they are giving you the best of what they consider is the best of the acoustic blues tradition. Their music goes back to the 1920`s , 30`s and 40`s. The Jumper and Moe play in different styles like the Mississippi slide or harp style, or the sweet Piedmont way of guitarpicking. We can find memories of Blind Blake, Mississippi John Hurt, Bo Carter, Leadbelly, Lightning Hopkins, Blind Willie McTell, Bukka White, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Mississippi Sheiks, The Memphis Jug Band and many more of the oldtimers in their music.
During the last years they have won great recognition at the European festival and club scene, and their liveshows always got superb revues. Jolly Jumper & Big Moe plays instruments like the harps, 6 & 12 string guitars, national steel, the mandolin, footstomp and whatever that`s got strings on. They also use alot of strange things as percussion, and of course, they both do the vocals.
Jolly Jumper & Big Moe comes from mid-Norway, from Hell. This is the home of the Hell Blues Festival. The Jumper and Moe have a great act, it is like a history lesson, and it`s always a very humerous one! They have also played a lot in schools, both in history and music classes.
Jolly Jumper, born 1965, has played the harp for many years, and you can hear Little Walter, Sonny Boy and James Cotten influence his way of blowing. He also playes the guitar in a very Blind Boy Fuller way.
Big Moe, born 1950, has played the blues guitar since the mid-60`s, at that time influenced by Buddy Guy and Freddy King. He then started playing acoustic guitar, and you can hear alot of Lightning Hopkins, Mississippi John Hurt and John Jackson in his style. Moe also plays the mandolin and the slide steel guitar.
They won the award ”Official Ambassadors Of Hell 2001” that are given every year to a person or organisation that have promoted the town Hell, Norway Int. in a positiv way.

JOLLY JUMPER & BIG MOE

 I have been asked not to write anything about the music on this album. I am sorry to say I find it impossible not to do so.  I have a number of Jolly Jumper and Big Moe CDs in my collection but when I listened to this one I just felt it summed up what they are about. Its country blues with a lot of heart and soul, performed by entertainers who understand the magic live performance brings to audiences across the globe.

Jolly Jumper and Big Moe have become favorites at the Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival.Winning over the festival crowd is never easy but these guys did it from the outset. The love of what they are doing, shines through with a charismatic charm that few performers achieve.  Their show is eclectic and often quite personal. Both artists communicate directly with each member of the audience through humorous dialogue, great material selection and a cheeky stage presence, which delivers the music as it is supposed to be delivered.  Musically they are both very talented with Big Moe finger picking his way through the numbers on a variety of classic blues guitars, resonators and even mandolin. Jolly Jumper provides exceptional vocals, has an equally exceptional period harp delivery and for good measure throws in a cutting line in Kazoo.  That is why I like this CD so much. It encapsulates the live performance of Jolly Jumper and Big Moe, which is a rarity these days. You can almost see them performing right there in front of you. The music pulls at your emotions taking you from one extreme to the other but most of all Jolly Jumper & Big Moe bring you 100% country blues entertainment.
Gary Hood, april 2004
Organizer  Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival, Colne - UK

 

15th Banbury Blues Festival

The Mill Arts Centre - 5th March 2005

The Bar was packed and the bar staff busy. With a quick turnaround we were set for a double act from Norway!

Jolly Jumper and Big Moe. JJ plays harmonica and does the vocals, but also has some great stories and "observations" to tell. Big Moe sticks to playing guitar and "one-liners". On the guitar front we had a 6 string Gibson, an amazing sound from a 12 string Martin and Moe used a 6 string Amistar for the slide numbers. They were doing two sets that day and in the evening performance he promised to play an 8 string Fender Mandolin.

According to the JJ version of the Blues, Robert Johnson was Norwegian and JJ used to go to the Alabama, (the one in Norway) for his summer holidays.

So the songs featured all the great Norwegian blues men, including Bo Carter, Alvin Youngblood Heart, J.B. Lenoir's "Alabama Blues". We heard some great renditions of the 1932 Memphis Jug Band. The 12 string made an appearance for Blind Blake's "Police Dog Blues". The Rev Gary Davis got a mention and out came the Kazoo for Charlie Patton's "Hangin' On The Wall".

If that wasn't mad enough they finished with an "Indian" version of "San Francisco Bay Blues". A quick pitstop and refuel while the 21st Century prepared to meet the early days of the Blues.

.....later..same day

The two Norwegians Jolly Jumper and Big Moe finished off the evening much as they started the Festival in the afternoon, with some fine playing and a great line in Norwegian/English humour. It's amazing to find that blues and jazz really originated in Norway - not deepest America as we are led to believe.

Tim Porter

 

 

 

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