Jamie Cullum

Jamie Cullum is an English jazz singer-songwriter, pianist and multi-instrumentalist from Rochford, United Kingdom. His work sits across contemporary jazz, crossover jazz, jazz, jazz pop and vocal jazz, and he is also described as a jazz-pop artist. He performs primarily as a vocalist, but also accompanies himself on piano, guitar and drums.

Early life and education

Cullum is born in 1979 and grows up in Hullavington, Wiltshire, after being born in Romford, East London. He attends Grittleton House School and then Sheldon School’s sixth form before studying English Literature with Film Studies as a minor at Reading University, where he graduates with first-class honours.

His family background is diverse: his mother, Yvonne, is a secretary of Anglo-Burmese origin whose family settles in Wales after Burma’s independence. His father, John Cullum, works in finance. His paternal grandfather is a British Army officer, and his paternal grandmother is a Jewish refugee from Prussia who sings in Berlin nightclubs.

Recording career

His first album, Jamie Cullum Trio—Heard it All, appears in 1999 in a limited run of 500 copies. The success of Heard It All Before leads to an appearance on Geoff Gascoyne’s album Songs of the Summer. After graduating, he releases Pointless Nostalgic, which draws the attention of Michael Parkinson and Melvyn Bragg.

After his first television appearance on Parkinson in April 2003, he signs a three-album contract with Universal. His third album, Twentysomething, appears in 2003, goes platinum and becomes the best-selling studio album by a jazz artist in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2003, he is the UK’s biggest-selling jazz artist of all time. Later albums include Catching Tales, The Pursuit, Devil May Care, Momentum, Interlude, The Song Society Playlist, Taller, The Pianoman at Christmas and The Pianoman at Christmas (The Complete Edition).

Style and performance

Cullum is known for working across several styles while keeping jazz at the centre of his music. His concerts often use a stompbox, a small wooden block used to amplify tapping footwork, along with looping equipment and beatboxing. He frequently performs without a fixed set list, and his shows are described as largely improvised and usually lasting a little over two hours.

He performs songs by a wide range of artists, including the White Stripes, Kanye West, Massive Attack, Rihanna, Pussycat Dolls, Radiohead, Gnarls Barkley, Elton John, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Joy Division and Lady Gaga. He also performs with Kylie Minogue, Sugababes, Will.i.am and Burt Bacharach.

Bands and collaborations

Cullum has been in several bands, including a hip hop group where he plays drums and rock groups such as Raw Sausage and The Mystery Machine. He also works extensively with his elder brother, Ben Cullum, whom he names as his biggest musical influence. The verified facts also associate him with Jamie Cullum Trio and Elcho.

Live appearances

His festival and venue appearances include Glastonbury Festival, Coachella, South by Southwest, North Sea Jazz Festival, the Hollywood Bowl with the Count Basie Orchestra, and the Playboy Jazz Festival. He also plays to his largest crowd to date on Queensday in the Netherlands in 2006.

Personal life

Cullum marries British model Sophie Dahl at a country hotel in the New Forest National Park in England on 9 January 2010.