Jamie Cullum
Jamie Cullum
Jamie Cullumis an English jazz-pop singer-songwriter. Although he is primarily a vocalist/pianist, he also accompanies himself on other instruments including guitar and drums. Since April 2010, he has been presenting a weekly jazz show on BBC Radio 2, broadcast on Tuesdays from 19:00...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionJazz Singer
Date of Birth20 August 1979
classical discourage
When I was at school, I wanted to play a piano, and they said, 'No, that's for the classical students.' There's always been this air around pianos, which can very often discourage a young person from having a go.
magic looks ordinary
When I look back on my ordinary, ordinary life, I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time.
complex deeper emotion great happiness intensity manages paradox proud sad state understanding
'm really proud of 'Sad, Sad World' because it manages to state a very complex paradox of an emotion that I experienced when I had children, which is this great happiness and this great intensity, but with that intensity comes a deeper understanding of the world.
applying job people stories thinking writes
I was thinking of applying to the 'Guardian' for a job after university. Yeah, I wanted to be one of the people who writes stories in G2.
musician send sought
I never sought out a record deal. It caught me with my pants down. I was just a musician doing my thing, I didn't even send my records out.
decorate marking million prefer records sold
Some musicians like to decorate their walls with discs saying: '1 million records sold in America.' I prefer to put up discs marking sales in lesser-known countries.
dizzy general great max miles musicians plus worked
I believe, from reading biographies, that the great musicians have also been great cooks: Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Max Roach. I think I've worked out why this is - unsociable hours, plus general creativity.
discovered fast guys listened nirvana played
Oh, I was a real Nirvana kid. I got into jazz because I listened to a lot of metal, Megadeth and that, and those guys play really fast and are virtuosos. I wanted to learn more about it, and I discovered that a lot of jazz guys played really fast, too.
gigs liverpool lovely oh
Oh yes, we've had some lovely gigs in the Liverpool area. They've been great.
indulge studio work
A studio allows you to indulge your untidiness and your penchant for toys and curiosities that really wouldn't work in a grown-up house.
behaving believing change fame famous hundred means million records shows tv
You're only famous in the eyes of others. Inside, you're still the same, and not a hundred million records or TV shows can change that. I think the only pitfall of fame is believing that it means something, and behaving like that.
baggy boot coming cowboys worn
I've worn some particularly baggy jeans and cowboys boot combinations after coming back from Austin, Texas. This was ill-advised.
artist long different
I'd like to make music for a long time, and all different types of music. Maybe I'll start my own label to get other artists off the ground.
school thinking add
I used to drum on the table at school. I think a handful of my school reports say that they thought I might have some kind of ADD.