Defend the indefensible: Jamie Cullum

-- David Nolan (dnola...), March 13th, 2004.

I thought this was interesting. As he's young he might feel pangs of artistic guilt/or untrendiness within a couple of years and decide to 'go indie'. I estimate a 45% chance of a good pop song coming out of such a situation, which aren't bad odds for someone who's currently so wretched.

"Frontin'" is awful - my impression from that is that he oversings chronically.

If you think Jamie Cullum is bad, and he at least has studied music and can play pianner quite well, wait for the 'not very good Jamie Cullum / Nora Battie inspired second wave' and realise that it's just like Punk, except you CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!

Vanessa Carlton could piss over Mr Cullum from a grate height.

he is undoubtedly dull now, but may be more interesting in a few years' time

You never heard "Big Yellow Taxi" by Counting Crows featuring Vanessa Carleton, a #16 smash!!

You lucky, lucky person...

Here we will dwell on that first scenario, a jazz star with boy band looks who sings songs that don’t require a degree in scatology to be enjoyed. Robbie swang when he sang, the Pop Idols crooned to number one, and rumours abound of an allstar rat pack being created by a certain pop svengali. Swing is in. But is jazz the new rock ‘n’ roll? One thing is certain, Jamie Cullum is the real deal. No need for pop producers and a million pound marketing spend here. Critics are already raving about him, and if everyone who claims to have been at his London debut at the famed 606 Club really were, it would have to have been the size of the Albert Hall - a venue at which another jazz pianist and singer, Diana Krall, has just sold out three nights. With the exuberance of Ben Folds, the confidence of Robbie Williams and the classic sound of Frank Sinatra, Jamie enters the arena of sophisticated jazz with a humility that belies his supreme talent. He plays a mean piano too.

Does it really say a degree in scatology? Can we expect a Coil/Callum hook-up? Or Callum into poo, but doesn't appreciate his listeners having advanced theoretical university-type ideas about poo studies?

What strange writers these biog-hacks are!

Much as I loathe Cullum's music, I don't think it's right to call him 'Lounge', exactly - assuming that's a kind of shorthand for Rat Pack-derived jazzbos - he has more in common w/ white hipsters like Mose Allison or Georgie Fame (except w/out the talent and wit, obv).

Hey, this guy went away, didn't he?!?!

I heard a song off his new album on the radio yesterday. I was giving himthe retry to see if I still hated his stuff or not; initially I found myself rehashing all the old criticisms (god this is so bloodless & boring etc), but in the second half it picked the fuck up and he actually put some fucking SOUL into it.

I was kinda shocked and am considering downstealing the album

He is playing live and collaborating with Roni Size in the not too distant future. LOL etc

He brings an incredible amount of game live. I saw him twice when I, ahem, played the AAA convention in Louisville (I was young! I needed the money!). The AAA people were more excited for his lunchtime set than they were about anything else that weekend and he just murdered them - a real showman. Played an instore together later that afternoon: room full of Louisville hep cats, same story though - he won most everybody over with his demeanor and his palpable love of the music he makes.

It's not like I went and bought the record or anything but dude's passion is impressive & infectious & a nice thing in the world.

I liked when he was a Vh1 you outta know artist which, like all other You Outta Know artists inevitably meant he was on a record label that was owned by Viacom.