Jumprava
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Founder | Ainārs Ašmanis, Māris Jurjāns, Ainars Vilde, Antonija Breidaka |
| Headquarters | Rīga , Latvia |
Area served | Latvia |
Key people | Aigars Grauba, Aigars Grāvers, Ainārs Ašmanis, Aigars Krēsla |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Number of employees | 4 (members) |
Jumprava is a Latvian band with roots in the Soviet era, consisting of members Aigars Grauba, Aigars Grāvers, Ainārs Ašmanis, and Aigars Krēsla. Established in 1984, the group remained active until 1992, then resumed activity in 1997 and continues to perform today.
1984-1987
The inception of Jumprava occurred in April 1984, initiated by Ainārs Ašmanis, Māris Jurjāns, Ainars Vilde, and Antonija Breidaka. Within the same year, Hermanis Kaminskis, Ingus Ulmanis, Aigars Voitišķis, and Aigars Grāvers became part of the ensemble. Following the departure of Vilde and Breidaka, the band produced their first album titled No tēvu zemes (“From the Land of Our Fathers”). Songs such as Par rozēm (“About Roses”) and Mākonis (“Cloud”) were included in the Mikrofons ‘85 compilation, which enhanced their recognition across Latvia. The exit of Jurjāns and Kaminskis in 1986 temporarily slowed progress until new additions Aigars Krēsla and Aigars Grauba joined. That year saw the release of popular singles like Prom no pilsētas (“Away from the City”) and N-tā pietura (“The N-th Stop”), both featured on Mikrofons ‘86. In 1987, Ulmanis and Voitišķis left to establish a separate band named Lādezers.
1987-1992
From 1987 onward, Jumprava embraced an electronic music style, earning them the nickname "native Depeche Mode". Their sound evolved into a more energetic form with lyrics penned by Ritvars Dižkačs, a roommate of Grāvers. Noteworthy tracks from this period include Šeit lejā (“Down Here”), Tālu aizgāja (“He Went Far Away”), and Ziemeļmeita, with the latter two written by Grauba. During this time they recorded two albums: Jumprava and Pilsēta (“City”).
Grauba departed early in 1989. The band secured victories at the Mikrofons contest in 1990 and 1991 with songs Baltā and Peldētajs (“The Swimmer”), respectively. However, they disbanded in 1992. Despite their break-up, several compilation albums highlighting their greatest hits were issued.
1997-present
Reassembling in 1997 with members Grauba, Grāvers, Krēsla, and Ašmanis, Jumprava resumed activities. Their 1998 album Laika atšķirību romance featured tracks such as Lēna upe (“Slow River”) and Auto ‘98, created alongside the group Nataradža.
In 1999, they released the compilation Labāko dziesmu izlase and received a lifetime achievement award from the Latvian music industry. The album Trajektorija followed in 2001, supported by music videos for singles like Nedaudz par viņu (“A Little Bit About Her”) and Ringā (“In the Ring”). Additionally, Baiga vasara was used as a soundtrack for a film.
The release of Inkarmo came in 2005 with contributions from Rolands Ūdris. Radio airplay was gained by singles including Liekos dīvains (“I Seem Strange”), while videos were produced for tracks such as Stacijā (“At the Station”) and Kailass. That year also saw a second best-of collection covering material from 1984 to 1990; this was expanded into a double edition released in 2006.
On July 6, 2012, Jumprava performed their first post-hiatus concert in Ikšķile. To commemorate their 30th anniversary in 2014, they issued the album Laiks runā (“Time Talks”).
Celebrating their 35th year together in 2019, the band held a special concert and released the album Insomnia.
In 2024, Jumprava unveiled two singles: Baltu dzīvi nodzīvot, featuring Antra Stafecka, and Interneta dzīvnieks. Their largest concert to date took place on August 31 at Mežaparks in Rīga to mark four decades since their formation.
Discography
- Jumprava (1988)
- Pilsēta (1989)
- Laika atšķirību romance (1998)
- Trajektorija (2001)
- Inkarmo (2005)
- Laiks runā (2014)
- Insomnia (2019)