Founded by DJ Chuck Wren in 1993, Jump Up Records is a Chicago based independent record label and mail order distribution company specializing in modern bands who play original Jamaican ska, reggae, rock steady, and calypso. Of course, Jump Up also releases modern ska-punk and retro 2-Tone bands from time to time as a nod to our 80s and 90s roots!
With over 300 releases under our belt, we proudly stand by our motto “Jamaican Music Made The Old Fashioned Way”. We deliver boss vintage sounds that feel like they came from independence era Jamaica, and we do so on its original art form: vinyl records. Jump Up has
been releasing vinyl records regularly since the mid 90’s – we’re not a pop up label capitalizing on vinyl’s “sudden” mainstream appeal. Quite the contrary, we’ve been planting the seeds for the revival for years, one quick peek on at Discogs will prove how long we’ve been committed to the vinyl format. We embrace all physical forms including cassettes, compact discs, flexis, and even 8-Tracks! Jump Up chooses not to deal with the digital side of the music industry on principle, we leave that 100% with our artists.
Truthfully, what makes Jump Up different than many other labels is one simple fact – we are passionate music collectors ourselves. We know what true music fans want. Our personal ska & reggae archives number ten thousand strong in vinyl records, CDs, and tapes. We constantly contribute to the scene, buying new music to play at DJ gigs and on our weekly radio show. It is our goal to support our music through its heart – the real fans who collect music and listen to physical formats.
We’re home to many of today’s top legacy artists including The Skatalites, Bim Skala Bim, The Toasters, Mephiskapheles, The Pietasters, The Scofflaws, Chris Murray, The Skalars, Eastern Standard Time, and Roger Rivas of The Aggrolites. We support dozens of modern-day acts like Stop The Presses, The Freecoasters, The Prizefighters, Coolidge, The Operators, The Fuss,
The Dendrites, The Crombies, Scotch Bonnets, Bumsy & The Moochers, Half past Two, and Rude Girl Review just to name a few. We release music from a growing number of international acts including Dr Ring Ding (Germany), Lollypop Lorry (Russia), Out of Control Army (Mexico), Mark Foggo’s Skasters (Holland), The Resetters (South Korea), D’ Jenks (Indonesia) and Young Israelites (Israel). Jump Up is also a place where many Jamaican legends have released new music, including Charley Organaire, Monty Neysmith of Symarip, Winston Francis, Susan Cadogan, Roy Ellis, Derrick Morgan, and Dennis Alcapone.
We’ve stayed true to the international ska/reggae scene since day one – our longtime customers have supported us through the thick and thin. Real ska fans have always stuck together to create a strong scene and have never felt the need to “defend” it to others.
Jump Up celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023 and has proudly released new ska music in every year of our existence. We’re full time, it’s not a hobby. We’re a true ska label with a modern focus, not a punk/indie imprint that dabbles.
Supporting The Scene since 1993!
Jump Up Records & Tapes
Post Office Box 13189
Chicago, Illinois 60613
USA
jumpuprecords@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/jumpuprecords
www.twitter.com/jumpuprecords
www.instagram.com/jumpuprecords
Custom Printed Shirts & Merchandise via Threadless:
www.jumpuprecords.threadless.com
SHIPPING & HANDLING:
Within USA via USPS media mail: Flat $5 fee. FREE shipping & handling
on all orders of $50+
INTERNATIONAL via with FED EX Connect Plus: Flat $25 for 1-3 LPs, $35 for 4-7 LPs.
(7 inch vinyl & CDs = 1/4 of an LP)
(FYI: this is a new/faster international Fed Ex small parcel service with full tracking)
Please keep in mind that orders can take a couple weeks to arrive, especially internationally. Everything is packed with 30 years of experience and professional techniques, but nothing can protect a package from extreme mishandling. Please be aware we DO NOT issue refunds or replacements for damage due to extreme weather conditions, minor cosmetic damage, such as corner dings, bends, split inserts, and so on.
Demo Policy
Whoever wants to send us music may do so, but please keep in mind the
following before posting anything to us:
– Jump Up Records is a small independent label that works on a limited
number of releases.
– Please do not expect a reply from Jump Up. Due to lack of time we
will only get in touch with those bands we might be interested in
working with.
– If the genre you play is not Jamaican style ska, reggae, rock steady,
dub or calypso please do not send us demos.
– Please do not send us MP3s via email (it clogs up our Gmail storage)
– You can mail your physical releases to JUMP UP Records PO Box 13189
Chicago IL 60613
– Sorry, we cannot return items posted to us.
Many thanks!
Chuck
The Early Roots of Jump Up Records:
When JUMP UP RECORDS began in 1993 it released Midwestern Ska exclusively. Do you remember the American Skathic compilation series? Our compilations introduced the world to dozens of great bands like Mustard Plug, The Suicide Machines, Hot Stove Jimmy, The Parka Kings, Slapstick, The Eclectics, and many more. We released Midwest bands because we believed in them. We also believed in the strong Midwest scene built around my radio show here in Chicago (WNUR-FM 89.3 from 1988-1996). Then the mid-90’s hit, and suddenly everybody started a ska band, and it seems like everybody started a ska “label” too. The music REALLY suffered; it was all just bandwagon-jumping bands, who all mimicked Reel Big Fish or some other major label ska-punk band. Things got bad, and many ska music fans turned away due to the over-commercialization of the scene. It wasn’t a connected scene anymore – just lots of Warped Tour wannabes putting out bad records. Great labels like MOON SKA NYC crumbled. JUMP UP dug its heels in for the long haul, and from the year 2000-2003 we were the only American ska label that continued to release new traditional ska music. We launched the STILL STANDING 4xCD BOX set and the ska world seemed to pick up again. Back then we took on websites that only sold watered down ska punk junk, and we arose victorious and are still here going strong today! Stick with Jump Up Records, we’ll never steer you wrong! DJ Chuck Wren
DJ Chuck Wren is LIVE on WNUR-FM 89.3 Chicago
Fire up that boombox radio in the garage, “EVERYTHING OFF BEAT” is back on the air Wednesday nights from 9–10 PM CST. Listen live online at www.wnur.org
MIXCLOUD
We re-broadcast shows from time to time via MIXCLOUD plus as an added treat Chuck records some of his live DJ sets from Delilah’s. – be it all 80s, Jamaican oldies, modern day classics – whatever floats his boat on that particular night!
The annual JUMP UP Records album sampler also is available for download from there as well! Enjoy!
DJ Chuck Wren at DELILAH’S CHICAGO
Chicago’s longest running ska/reggae night is at Delilah’s the last Thursday of the month with DJ Chuck Wren from JUMP UP / WNUR-FM. That’s at the corner of Diversey & Lincoln in the big city! It’s an all vinyl review, just like when we started the night over 30 years ago. Some things change over the years, fans come and go….but the “Ska Night at Delilah’s” is the one thing YOU can count on! Jamaican Oldies Are KING! Come and check out what RECORDS sound and FEEL like! In a time when “everyone is a DJ” and pre-planned 30 minute sets are the norm, come and hear what an organic long form all-night DJ set is all about.