| Jazz |
An Introduction to Jamie Cullum (Universal Music/Verve Records – 2003)
Jamie Cullum is certainly one of the artists who has managed to bring jazz beyond its usual milieu. A fan of Sinatra, he also loves R&B and other musical styles. He is probably the most well-known jazz singer today. Some might find him too commercial; I would say he is simply of his time. This album includes all the hit tracks that have made him internationally recognized, like “Photograph” and the famous “Get Your Way.” Starting at the age of 15 and entirely self-taught, he spent a whole year in Paris before going to the University of Reading, where he focused on film and English studies. It was there that he began composing and completely self-financed his first album in 1999, “Heard It All Before.” However, it was with his second album, “Pointless Nostalgic,” that radio stations in England began to take an interest in him.
Taller (Island Records – 2019)
The orchestral form on his albums is quite interesting, often evoking an atmosphere and energy similar to the famous Cab Calloway, which frequently encourages the audience to sing along with Jamie Cullum. Clearly, Jamie Cullum’s film studies influence his way of composing and performing his songs. As a true performer, his voice shares his stories in joyful settings sometimes tinged with nostalgia. His latest album, “Taller,” released in 2019, is like a cinematic journey with deeper lyrics. Tracks like “Taller,” “Age of Anxiety,” and “Endings Are Beginnings” show that Jamie Cullum has grown, just like his music, which remains grandiose but less joyful—a sign of the times for a generation that entered adulthood disenchanted in an increasingly brutal world. With this latest album, Jamie Cullum also explores a poetic form, a tendency he has always had, but here it develops in such a way that it makes this undoubtedly his least commercial album.
It is particularly interesting to compare these two albums. Both are magnificent for very different reasons and demonstrate how an artist can evolve without losing their artistic identity. With only nine albums, it is clear that Jamie Cullum composes according to his life, when he feels the necessity, unlike many contemporary artists who produce continuously to stay relevant. Jamie Cullum does not need this because his albums have extremely long lives in the media. This is likely because he has found a way to reach a wide audience through his performances. His discretion is probably also key to his well-deserved success; you won’t find him in scandalous tabloids. Jamie Cullum maintains a very private life, which is a luxury for artists of his fame today.
Two “Indispensable” albums, and if you love Jamie Cullum, I recommend his show “The Jazz Show with Jamie Cullum” on BBC Radio!
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, July 17th 2024
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To buy An Introduction to Jamie Cullum