Jamie Cullum biography
Jamie Cullum (born 20 August 1979) is an England pop music and jazz singer, songwriter, pianist, guitarist and drummer.
Biography
Cullum was born at Romford Hospital in Essex, and educated at the independent fee-paying Grittleton House School and the sixth form at Sheldon school. Both are near Chippenham in Wiltshire. His mother, Yvonne, is a secretary of Anglo-Burmese people origin, whose family settled in Wales after Burma's independence; his father, John Cullum, worked in finance. His paternal grandfather was a British Army officer, while his paternal grandmother was a Jewish refugee from Prussia who sang in Berlin nightclubs; Cullum has said that he sees her as his "cultural icon". He was brought up in Hullavington, Wiltshire but currently lives in North West London.
Musical career
Cullum released his first album,
Jamie Cullum Trio—Heard it All Before, in 1999, of which 500 copies were made. Due to their rarity, original copies have sold for as much as £600 on Ebay.
The success of
Heard It All Before resulted in Cullum being invited to appear on Geoff Gascoyne's album
Songs of the Summer. After graduating from the University of Reading in 2001, Cullum released a best-selling album,
Pointless Nostalgic, which stirred interest from Michael Parkinson and Melvyn Bragg. (Cullum made his first television appearance on Parkinson's BBC chat show and was the last musician to perform on the Michael Parkinson Show 'Final Conversation' recorded on 26th November and broadcast on 16th December 2007.)
In April 2003, Cullum signed a contract for three albums with Universal Music Group, who beat Sony Music Entertainment in a bidding war. Cullum's third album,
Twentysomething (album), released in October 2003, went platinum and became the 1 selling studio album by a jazz artist in the United Kingdom.
Although primarily a jazz musician, Cullum performs in a wide range of styles and is generally regarded as a "crossover" artist with his musical roots firmly based in jazz. Cullum draws his inspiration from many different musicians and listens to a very eclectic mix of music from Miles Davis to Tom Waits and many more.
Cullum has belonged to several bands, ranging from banging drums in a hip hop music group to playing guitar in rock bands such as Raw Sausage and The Mystery Machine, in his teenage youth. Cullum names his elder brother, Ben Cullum, as his biggest musical influence, and the two have collaborated extensively.
Jamie Cullum is well known not only for his abilities on the piano, but also for his unique entertainment style and charisma. One of the many things that features in Jamie's concerts is the "stompbox" (not to be confused with an effect pedal for guitars), made from a small wooden block. The stompbox is used to amplify a musician's tapping foot. Jamie found this in Australia and uses it to enhance upbeat and fast-paced songs such as
Seven Nation Army originally by the White Stripes and "Gold Digger", originally by Kanye West. He is also often found using a looping machine. This plays a heavy part in Cullum's versions of Seven Nation Army and Teardrop (song) by Massive Attack. Cullum is also often found beatboxing at nearly every gig.
As well as White Stripes and Kanye West, Cullum has performed work by Massive Attack, Pussycat Dolls, Radiohead,Gnarls Barkley, Elton John, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Joy Division and many others. Cullum rarely works to a set list and on average his gigs last just over two hours. The gigs are largely improvised, rooted in jazz but not solely consisting of jazz music.
Cullum has played at many large music festivals, including Glastonbury Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2005, 2006 South by Southwest, North Sea Jazz Festival and the 2006 Playboy Jazz Festival.
On the April 29, 2006, Cullum played his biggest ever crowd on Queensday in The Netherlands.
On August 20th, 2008, Jamie celebrated his 29th Birthday (his last as a “Twentysomething”) at the Hollywood Bowl, performing with the Count Basie Orchestra.
Jamie Cullum in the news
Cullum keeping coy about costume - The Daily Yomiuri
Cullum keeping coy about costumeThe Daily Yomiuri, Japan - Oct 30, 2008The last time Jamie Cullum talked to The Daily Yomiuri was on the phone from a toilet in Lisbon about two years ago, so when I got through to his mobile ...
read moreParky returns to the radio - online - The Press Association
Parky returns to the radio - onlineThe Press Association - Oct 30, 2008David Beckham, Sir Michael Caine, Sir David Attenborough, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Edna Everage, Billy Connolly, Peter Kay and Jamie Cullum appeared on the ...
read moreJohn Oates Timeline Fifty-nine years of Oates - Philadelphia citypa...
Philadelphia citypaper.netJohn Oates Timeline Fifty-nine years of OatesPhiladelphia citypaper.net, PA - 11 hours ago2004 Oates' duet with Jamie Cullum, "Greatest Mistake," appears on Handsome Boy Modeling School's second CD, White People — which features Dan the Automator ...
read moreRelocated Reporting: A home away from home…away from home - Temple ...
Relocated Reporting: A home away from home…away from homeTemple News, PA - Nov 13, 2008There is nothing wrong with a 20-hour trip to Paris to see Jamie Cullum and find ways to keep yourself occupied until daylight. It’s not OK to check-in for ...
read moreAnd all that jazz - The National
And all that jazzThe National, United Arab Emirates - Nov 9, 2008During his college days, the jazz musician Jamie Cullum played in rock and pop bands, but always felt frustrated at having to stick to the tune. ...
read moreBBC Electric Proms - NME.com
NME.comBBC Electric PromsNME.com, UK - Nov 7, 2008His set is an embarrassment of riches, consisting of melodies so beautiful even appearances by Jamie Cullum and Adele can’t hamper them. ...
read moreIndependent.co.uk Web - Independent
Independent.co.uk WebIndependent, UK - Oct 28, 2008It is when Jamie Cullum is dragged straight off a flight from LA into Camille Dalmais' world that the latter's wilful freedom is fully revealed. ...
read moreEsbjörn Svensson Trio: touching tribute to a pioneer pianist - Tele...
Telegraph.co.ukEsbjörn Svensson Trio: touching tribute to a pioneer pianistTelegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - Nov 18, 2008There was one tribute (via video) from pianist Jamie Cullum, saying they were one of the only jazz bands his fellow students at college didn't tell him to ...
read moreJoe Stilgoe - like father, like son - Get Surrey
Joe Stilgoe - like father, like sonGet Surrey, UK - 21 hours agoComparisons to Jamie Cullum, another of the country’s most exciting piano-playing showmen, have been made, with both credited for their ability to combine ...
read moreMama mia! - Telegraph.co.uk
Mama mia!Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - Nov 4, 2008Snow Patrol, Razorlight and Mika all serenaded us, with Jamie Cullum winding up proceedings with a swinging jazz version of U2's Mysterious Ways, ...
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