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.
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.
closely enjoyed fitted god intend suit worn
The first suit I enjoyed was a Dior suit that I got given. I've never worn anything that fitted that closely - it was akin to 'Oh my God, I had no idea that a suit didn't have to be this wide.' But I do intend to get one made some day.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
biography grand great tom waits
I have a piano in my kitchen. I read a great biography about Tom Waits that said that he had a piano in his kitchen; he had a grand piano in his kitchen. And I thought, 'Well, if Tom Waits has one, then I must.'
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.