Armand Jackson

Armand "Jump" Jackson (March 25, 1917 – January 31, 1985) was an American blues and rhythm and blues drummer, bandleader, songwriter, record label owner, and booking agent. He is best known for creating the forceful "sock" rhythm found on the backbeat on many blues recordings made in Chicago, Illinois, United States, during late 1940s and 1950s. He wrote a number of popular tracks including his own instrumental, "Midnight Shuffle".

In 1958, Jackson created La Salle Records. Four years later, he was the drummer for the first European tour of the American Folk Blues Festival.

Life and career Armand Jackson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. In January 1946, Jackson put together a more permanent jump blues (hence the nickname) band with Johnny Morton (trumpet), Sax Mallard (alto sax) and later addition Bill Owens (piano). They started to be regular session musicians that Lester Melrose and his brothers put together, for recording sessions at both RCA Victor and Columbia. and on the back of that Jackson recorded four sides in his own right on September 13, 1946, for Columbia, with St. Louis Jimmy Oden providing the vocals on three of them. Jackson's band also began a six month long tenure at the Blue Heaven Lounge. On September 26 and October 4, 1946, Jackson recorded ten tracks for Specialty. In June 1947, Jackson's band recorded for Aristocrat. In mid-1960, Lee Jackson, Eddy Clearwater, Little Brother Montgomery, Roosevelt Sykes, St. Louis Jimmy Oden, Sunnyland Slim, Tom Archia, Corky Roberts(on), and Shakey Jake Harris were all guests at Jackson's "Blues Party", an opening event organized in Jackson's garage studio, on 5727 South La Salle Street. Eddy Clearwater was given his nickname by Jackson as a correlation to Muddy Waters. In addition, Jackson played the percussion on every track on the Sykes compilation album, Chicago Boogie, issued on CD in 2004 by Delmark Records.

Jackson's self-penned instrumental, "Midnight Shuffle", was recorded by the Jump Jackson Band, and released as a single on La Salle Records in 1961. Jackson's song, "Angry Lover", was recorded by Shakey Jake Harris on his 1961 album, Mouth Harp Blues. The Jackson penned, "Cry Cry Baby", was recorded by Little Brother Montgomery on his 1961 album, Tasty Blues. Jackson's songs "Suicide Blues", "Good Woman Blues", and "Fool Blues", were recorded by Curtis Jones for his 1961 album, Trouble Blues. Jackson co-wrote with Sonny Thompson seven of the tracks which appeared on Otis "Big Smokey" Smothers 1962 album, Sings the Backporch Blues. Others who recorded for the La Salle label included Eddie Boyd, Eddy Clearwater, Little Mack Simmons, and Sunnyland Slim.

Legacy Blues from Up the Country is a 2003 compilation album, which captured many tracks with drumming by Jackson.