On the look out for all music styles, whether it was grunge, blues or rock, Jamie Cullum started learning the guitar at the age of 8. Shortly after, he took up singing and the piano. Accompanied by bass player Raph Mizraki and drummer Julian Jackson, the Jamie Cullum Trio was formed. They released their first self-produced album called, Heard It All Before. Alan Bates, the producer, took it without a second thought and released the album Pointless Nostalgic. Universal set their heart on the prodigy offering him a contract estimated at one million pounds, which is a record for a jazz artist.
A record, is just what Jamie Cullum went on to produce in 2003, selling more than two million copies throughout the world of his very first album (and major label), Twentysomething. An amazing debut for a jazz album. With titles such as “All I See” or “It’s about Time”, without forgetting the ultimate ”Everlasting Love”, he was finally known worldwide. Two years later, after being part of the original sound track for the Bridget Jones film, a box-office success, Jamie Cullum started writing his own songs including Catching Tales which had more of a pop influence “Get Your Way”, “Mind Trick” and even “Photograph” were all big hits. Both of these successful albums led him to take to the world’s most prestigious stages where he proved his improvisation skills without limiting himself to jazz. In 2007, Jamie Cullum continued to blur the boundaries of jazz and pop with In The Mind of Jamie Cullum. In 2009, his fifth album “The Pursuit” was a brilliant mix of genres and put him at the top of the international jazz scene. Copyright 2008 Music Story Frédéric Geldhof