A drumbeat rises from out of silent depths, guiding thoughtful
guitar rhythms, melding with smooth sounds of a cello and a
bass, and, finally, performing a graceful dance with the sounds of
a melodic mandolin.

Combine this musical m�lange with intense vocals, and you have
the eclectic musical stylings of Jump, Little Children, the South
Carolina band that derives its name from a song by North Carolina
blues artists Sonny Terry and Brownie Mcghee.

After forming almost nine years ago, the band has since risen to
significant fame.

The five have been working and touring together for so long that
their relationship now transcends music.

“Nowadays, the driving force (behind the band) is to be together,”
multi-instrumentalist Matthew Bivins said. “We are best friends.
We can’t underestimate this.”

Mixing sounds as idiosyncratic as Irish folk, rock ‘n’ roll, hip-hop
and blues, Jump, Little Children is a band that does not shy away
from the challenge of experimenting with music.

“We always give up trying to exactly describe (our music),” Bivins
said. “It’s love, sex and just a drop of Louisiana hot sauce.”

Deriving influences from such diverse artists as Tom Waits,
R.E.M., U2, Jeff Buckly, Radiohead, J.S. Bach, AC/DC and James
Taylor, Jump, Little Children has acquired an extensive
following.�

Attracting fans from all age groups, the band’s unique style
incorporates not only the proverbial rock instruments, such as the
electric guitar and drums, but also draws sounds from an upright
bass, a cello, an accordion, a harmonica, a tin whistle and a
mandolin.

“Every fan over the age of 30 thinks they’re the oldest fan,” Bivins
said. “They’re not.”

After a four-month delay due to internal issues within its production
label Atlantic Records, Jump, Little Children released its highly
anticipated album “Vertigo” Sept. 25, receiving rave reviews.�It is
now touring the eastern seaboard to promote the album.

The band acknowledges that “Vertigo” differs greatly form its
previous album, “Magazine.”

“Vertigo is a much more intimate album,” Bivins said. “(It’s) a bit
moodier and more subtle than our last album.�Lyrically, we made
a vow after Magazine to write more honest music, and Vertigo is
the result of that.”

Even though this past year has been a tough one for the band, they
are content with their accomplishments thus far.

“We have a long way to go,” Bivins said. “But, we are happy with
what we’ve accomplished.”