Jump: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

Name: Jump: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-39948
Price: 29.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Recorded by Aretha Franklin

Words and music by Curtis Mayfield / arr. Alan Billingsley

Item: 00-39948

$29.99

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One moment…

This hot Aretha Franklin hit was first heard in the 1976 film Sparkle, and featured again in the recent remake starring Whitney Houston and Jordin Sparks.

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Series: Alfred Pop Choral Series

Publisher: Alfred Music

UPC: 038081446080

SKU: 00-39948

More about this title

About the Composer: Curtis Mayfield

Curtis Mayfield (1942-1999) was a singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose influence on soul, funk, and R&B shaped American popular music across five decades. Beyond his work as a performer and recording artist, Mayfield was a prolific composer who wrote and arranged music across film, television, and stage, with a gift for creating memorable melodies that served both narrative and emotional storytelling. His most celebrated film work includes the Sparkle soundtrack, which earned him an Academy Award nomination and demonstrated his ability to craft songs that resonate across generations.

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Why we love this

Aretha Franklin's interpretation of this Curtis Mayfield composition carries genuine warmth and rhythmic swagger that choirs find infectious to learn and perform. The song sits comfortably in contemporary choral repertoire while remaining rooted in soul and R&B idioms, giving your ensemble access to a genuine pop-soul classic rather than a diluted cover arrangement. Audiences recognize it immediately, which means your choir gets to deliver a crowd-pleasing moment alongside serious musicianship.

What to expect

The song radiates joy and vitality, built on a rhythm that makes you want to move. There is an easy confidence in the melody that feels celebratory without being showy, combining Mayfield's graceful songwriting with the soulful warmth that made Aretha's version iconic.

Who it's for

This arrangement suits intermediate to advanced high school and college choirs ready to tackle contemporary soul and R&B literature with both technical accuracy and stylistic confidence. Soloists with character-driven voices will thrive on the featured passages, while the ensemble parts remain accessible enough that groups with mixed experience levels can participate fully.

How to get the most out of it

Establish the groove early in rehearsals by locking into the rhythm section via the recorded accompaniment; this song lives or dies by pocket and feel, not precision alone.
Shape the melody with the vocal character Aretha modeled: conversational phrasing that responds to the rhythm, not metronomic delivery.
Balance upper and lower voices so the harmonic foundation stays clear without overshadowing the soloists or featured sections.
Work the dynamics carefully around key moments; resist pushing volume everywhere, and save your strength for the emotional peaks where the arrangement calls for it.

How to use it

This works beautifully as a closer on a pops concert or a spring show, bringing instant energy and crowd connection after more formal repertoire. It also pairs naturally with other soul, R&B, or contemporary gospel choral selections if you are building a themed program around secular popular song.