Jamie Cullum

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Born in Essex, and raised in Wiltshire, JAMIE CULLUM was obsessed with all types of music from an early age, including rock, hip-hop, acid jazz, and blues. He discovered jazz as a teenager via artists like Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis, but also showed an interest in the groundbreaking Steely Dan albums purchased by his brother Ben. While studying English at college, he began working as a singer-pianist anywhere he could get a gig: on cruise ships, in pubs, even wedding receptions. Here he crafted the explosive on-stage persona that would win him accolades in The New York Times (“a natural showman with the confidence of a bantam rooster waking up the neighborhood”), Variety (“a one-man British invasion”), the New York Observer (“A talent this size comes along as rarely as a hot January”), and more.
 
When Universal Classics & Jazz snatched up the rising talent in the spring of 2003 and sent him into the studio to make Twentysomething, he was ready for the rigors – and joys – that waited ahead. With his sophomore set, Catching Tales, Cullum continued to redefine where the parameters of pop, and jazz – indeed, all musical genres – were drawn: “At first I didn’t think certain songs had a place in what I was doing with jazz, but I’ve realized that everything does, and that reaffirms my belief that jazz is the greatest platform to do whatever you want. People ask why I play jazz. It’s because you can take it to so many different places. You can embrace dance music, rock, pop music, classical, funk, everything…. And I touch on all those things in this record.”
 
Cullum is currently putting the finishing touches on his next aural excursion to be released by Universal Classics & Jazz in early 2009. The album was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Greg Wells (Katy Perry, OneRepublic, Mika, Timbaland).