Jamie Cullum Biography
An award-winning English singer/songwriter, song interpreter, and pianist, Jamie Cullum has become the most successful contemporary jazz artist in Britain. The fastest-selling jazz musician in British history, he is the first contributor to the genre to go platinum in the United Kingdom. His album Twentysomething, a work that includes both originals and covers, has sold more than a million copies in England and millions throughout the world. Dubbed "the heartthrob of jazz," "the David Beckham of jazz" (referring to the English soccer star), and "Sinatra in Sneakers" by the press, the diminutive, spike-haired Cullum is credited with helping to change the often sedate image of jazz through his crossover appeal, eclectic music, and exciting performances. Cullum's audience spans several generations: his fan base, which ranges from pre-teens to retirees, is composed of people who are often unfamiliar with jazz. Among the young, Cullum is regarded as a performer who makes it acceptable (and even hip) to enjoy this type of music. He is greeted with the kind of enthusiasm that usually is reserved for pop or rock stars. Cullum also is considered a pivotal figure among the new wave of young jazz artists, which includes figures like the American chanteuse Norah Jones (the daughter of Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar), the English teen sensation Katie Melura, and the Canadian crooner Michael Buble.
Cullum has released five albums--Heard It All Before, Pointless Nostalgia, Twentysomething, the live extended player Twenty Zero Zero Five, and Catching Tales. These works are comprised of jazz standards, show tunes, covers of classic rock songs, covers of songs by contemporary artists, and original songs by Cullum and his older brother, Ben. The albums reflect Cullum's versatile taste in music, as well as his affection for rock, pop, hip hop, dance music, drums 'n' bass, classic jazz, and Broadway and movie scores. As a vocalist, Cullum sings in a midrange tenor with a sandpapery edge. He usually plays the piano in a light, rhythmic style. However, in performance Cullum treats his piano like a percussion instrument. He pummels it, taps out beats on the wood, plucks the strings, and turns over the bench. His live act mirrors the eclecticism of his albums while adding bits of showmanship: Cullum scats, sings a cappella, leads sing-a-longs, and sniffs after the line "I get no kick from cocaine" during Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick Out of You." Observers have noted the contrast between Cullum's act and the generally low-key nature of traditional jazz performances. In addition, they have commented on the musical treatment that he gives to his cover tunes. For example, Cullum recasts Jimi Hendrix's psychedelic rock song "The Wind Cries Mary" as a New Orleans-style gospel number and "I Could Have Danced All Night" from Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe's musical My Fair Lady as a thumping, club-friendly dance tune.
Born in Wiltshire, England, Cullum grew up in the rural village of Hullavington, near the town of Malmesbury. His father, John, the son of Jewish refugees who came to England from Germany, and his mother, Yvonne, who is second-generation Burmese, performed together in a rock cover band. They also had an extensive record collection, to which they introduced their two sons. At the age of eight Jamie began taking piano lessons. He quit at eleven, after failing an exam, and began to explore other art forms. The works of American authors Ernest Hemingway and Jack Kerouac influenced him greatly, as did films like The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989). However, two events at the age of 13 helped shape Cullum as a musician: he received an electric guitar for his birthday, and he saw the American jazz singer Harry Connick Jr. in performance. At around this time, Ben Cullum began to take charge of his brother's musical tastes, bringing him albums by dynamic rockers the Who (whose "My Generation" he later would cover in live performance), heavy-metal act Iron Maiden, and rap pioneers Public Enemy. At 16, Jamie began to jam with Ben (now a recording artist, producer, and session musician) on their guitars, a period that Cullum claims made him take music seriously for the first time. Cullum became especially interested in American grunge bands such as Nirvana and Soundgarden; at the same time, as he told an interviewer in Now!, he realized that "jazz seemed to be the only sophisticated way to gain attention from the opposite sex." This, along with his introduction to jazz artists like Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck, and Art Tatum, rekindled his interest in the piano. In 1997 Cullum attended the Glastonbury Festival, an outdoor rock show in England. Here, he was thrilled by the music of Radiohead, an English progressive-rock band that he now considers his favorite group of all time. After that experience, Cullum decided to take a year off from school to concentrate exclusively on music.
Cullum has released five albums--Heard It All Before, Pointless Nostalgia, Twentysomething, the live extended player Twenty Zero Zero Five, and Catching Tales. These works are comprised of jazz standards, show tunes, covers of classic rock songs, covers of songs by contemporary artists, and original songs by Cullum and his older brother, Ben. The albums reflect Cullum's versatile taste in music, as well as his affection for rock, pop, hip hop, dance music, drums 'n' bass, classic jazz, and Broadway and movie scores. As a vocalist, Cullum sings in a midrange tenor with a sandpapery edge. He usually plays the piano in a light, rhythmic style. However, in performance Cullum treats his piano like a percussion instrument. He pummels it, taps out beats on the wood, plucks the strings, and turns over the bench. His live act mirrors the eclecticism of his albums while adding bits of showmanship: Cullum scats, sings a cappella, leads sing-a-longs, and sniffs after the line "I get no kick from cocaine" during Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick Out of You." Observers have noted the contrast between Cullum's act and the generally low-key nature of traditional jazz performances. In addition, they have commented on the musical treatment that he gives to his cover tunes. For example, Cullum recasts Jimi Hendrix's psychedelic rock song "The Wind Cries Mary" as a New Orleans-style gospel number and "I Could Have Danced All Night" from Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe's musical My Fair Lady as a thumping, club-friendly dance tune.
Born in Wiltshire, England, Cullum grew up in the rural village of Hullavington, near the town of Malmesbury. His father, John, the son of Jewish refugees who came to England from Germany, and his mother, Yvonne, who is second-generation Burmese, performed together in a rock cover band. They also had an extensive record collection, to which they introduced their two sons. At the age of eight Jamie began taking piano lessons. He quit at eleven, after failing an exam, and began to explore other art forms. The works of American authors Ernest Hemingway and Jack Kerouac influenced him greatly, as did films like The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989). However, two events at the age of 13 helped shape Cullum as a musician: he received an electric guitar for his birthday, and he saw the American jazz singer Harry Connick Jr. in performance. At around this time, Ben Cullum began to take charge of his brother's musical tastes, bringing him albums by dynamic rockers the Who (whose "My Generation" he later would cover in live performance), heavy-metal act Iron Maiden, and rap pioneers Public Enemy. At 16, Jamie began to jam with Ben (now a recording artist, producer, and session musician) on their guitars, a period that Cullum claims made him take music seriously for the first time. Cullum became especially interested in American grunge bands such as Nirvana and Soundgarden; at the same time, as he told an interviewer in Now!, he realized that "jazz seemed to be the only sophisticated way to gain attention from the opposite sex." This, along with his introduction to jazz artists like Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck, and Art Tatum, rekindled his interest in the piano. In 1997 Cullum attended the Glastonbury Festival, an outdoor rock show in England. Here, he was thrilled by the music of Radiohead, an English progressive-rock band that he now considers his favorite group of all time. After that experience, Cullum decided to take a year off from school to concentrate exclusively on music.
Profile
Born on August 20, 1979, in Hullavington, Wiltshire, England; son of John (a company executive) and Yvonne (a school secretary, choir director, and charity worker) Cullum.
Education: Attended the University of Reading, Reading, England; degree in English literature, film, and drama, 2001.
Education: Attended the University of Reading, Reading, England; degree in English literature, film, and drama, 2001.
Contact Information
Address: Record company--Universal Music Group, 2220 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404; 1755 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
Website: http://www.umusic.com
Website: http://www.umusic.com
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