Musocity - Jamie Cullum's blog

MTV Asia Interview

2009-06-09T11:45:00Z

MTV Asia

June 9, 2009

Jamie Cullum - New album, The Pursuit, is noisy, fearless and more rock 'n' roll!

By Lennat Mak

Jamie Cullum, the crossover boy wonder of jazz/pop, is turning 30 this year. Despite the perceived notion of adulthood (he's also getting married to his model girlfriend Sophie Dahl in 2010), Jamie still remains quite the playful musical imp when it comes to his passion for music. He might no longer be the twenty-something catching tales of old soul jazz with a modern touch of yesteryear, but the current Jamie is definitely going to up the ante once again on his forthcoming album, The Pursuit.

You announced your new album title, The Pursuit, at the Music Matters conference in Hong Kong last Thursday (June 4, 2009). Do tell us a little more of the new album coming our way?

I'm still putting finishing touches to the record, mixing the final tracks and just making sure the order is correct and everything is right. I'm really proud of this record. I wrote and came up with 20 new ideas and record 20 new songs! I'm only putting it down to 12, so it's quite hard to choose. No singles just yet, we are still in the process of doing that. But it's a noisy record and it's much more fearless than anything I've done before.

Fearless? Does that mean more experimental sounds and less jazz?

Sonically, the sounds I've used on this record are less traditional. The drums, bass and piano sounds are heavier. It sounds more like a record from today, than anything else. It's no less jazzy but it's also more rock 'n' roll!

Producer-wise, are you still working with Stewart Levine?

The new album is mainly produced by Greg Wells and he has made albums with Rufus Wainright, Katy Perry, OneRepublic and Timbaland. I've know Greg for four years and we have written some songs before for other artists. Greg is a multi-instrumentalist who plays bass, drums, piano, guitar - he plays lots of instruments like I do. I want to be in a situation where we could sit in a studio and not have to have lots of people in there all the time. We basically played a lot of the stuff ourselves. On quite a few of the songs, I played bass, piano, guitar - just lots of instruments on the same tracks. It's fun to build tracks that way.

Was there more of a "playful" vibe to be in such a creative environment?

Yes! It's very playful. It's very unhinged and it's not a polished record. It's pretty freewheeling!

Any reason why the long break between albums?

I had a little break. After Catching Tales, I needed a little time to regroup and sleep in my own bed for a little bit! I've played in some other people's bands and I wanted to make sure if I were to make an album, I wanted to be really ready for it and do something that's really creatively different and "moved on" from previous records.

Do you think The Pursuit will be a bigger crossover hit than Twentysomething and Catching Tales?

You can never expect what's going to happen on the record. I do think this record will really excite people. It's really fun and it doesn't sound like anything that's out there so I think it's really cool.

After doing your thing for so many years in the music scene, what do you think is the spirit of jazz or rather, the spirit of music?

I think the spirit of music is as strong as ever! The record industry is changing, but people's love for music has not changed. That will always be the case, from the cavemen days till now. I'm still a big music fan as ever and there is still great music being put out there.

You are currently doing a couple of dates around the world. How is like playing huge festivals versus small venues?

It's different wherever you are. When you play live, you connect with the people you are playing to. It could be harder in a big venue than a smaller venue. It's very hard to compare. But I think it is fun playing small venues. If you are connecting with a big audience, that's fun too. We are doing a handful of festivals this summer. Just to, you know, kind of get into the zone and get in the mood. We will be putting out the album in late September this year and then we will be back on the road. I'll be coming to Asia to do some concerts and I'm looking forward to it! It's very important to us, coming to Asia. We've been so well-received by the fans over in Asia. We will be back without a doubt!

You've been Twitter-ing and keeping your fans updated. How are you embracing this new media of connecting with your fans?

That's exactly what it is. It's another way to interact with your fans. I can do it from my phone. And it's like texting all your fans at one go. It's an amazing thing to do. I enjoy it. It's really fun. It's certainly the most connected I've ever felt with my fans. I see and meet them at shows and occasionally post on my forum and things like that but I do feel this is the most direct way to interact with your fans. There's no record company or manger - I do it from my phone! I'll text my girlfriend, I'll text my mum and maybe I'll send a Twitter to the fans about the songs and the album.

It's been reported that you are getting married in 2010. How are the preparations coming along?

We haven't have time to get it together yet! We are working on it at the moment and we are trying to pin down a date and a place. It's like planning a big party, you know? So it's going to be fun!

NEW JAMIE CULLUM ALBUM WILL BE CALLED.....

2009-06-09T11:45:00Z

THE PURSUIT!

Out in the autumn :)

Win tickets to see Jamie this summer!

2009-05-18T19:47:00Z

Win tickets to see Jamie this summer! Via the mailing list only !

Jamie will be appearing in France, Spain, Switzerland, Czech Republic,
Holland, Norway, and Belgium this summer and we have a pair of tickets to each festival to give away.

To be in with a chance of winning a pair, sign up to the mailing list
by 5th June and you will receive an e-mail. In that e-mail will be a
link where all you have to do to enter to win tickets is click on the
show you would most like to attend and you will be entered for tickets.

Winners will be notified by 9th June.

http://www.jamiecullum.com/mailinglist/signup

N.b If you are already on the mailing list, there is no need to sign
up again, you will automatically receive the e-mail to enter for tickets.

Win tickets to see Jamie this summer!

2009-05-18T19:47:00Z

Win tickets to see Jamie this summer! Via the mailing list only !

Jamie will be appearing in France, Spain, Switzerland, Czech Republic,
Holland, Norway, and Belgium this summer and we have a pair of tickets to each festival to give away.

To be in with a chance of winning a pair, sign up to the mailing list
by 27th May (previously stated as 5th June) and you will receive an e-mail. In that e-mail will be a
link where all you have to do to enter to win tickets is click on the
show you would most like to attend and you will be entered for tickets.

Winners will be notified by 9th June.

http://www.jamiecullum.com/mailinglist/signup

N.b If you are already on the mailing list, there is no need to sign
up again, you will automatically receive the e-mail to enter for tickets.

Jamie Cullum on America's Dancing With The Stars!

2009-05-02T12:24:00Z

Jamie will be performing on one of America's top TV shows 'Dancing With The Stars' on America's ABC network this coming Tuesday night (May 5th) on the results show!

He will be performing one of his favourite standards live! The show features top celebrity contestants including singers Belinda Carlisle and Lil Kim, Jack Ass Steve-o, film and TV actress Denise Richards and legendary football star Lawrence Taylor. The celebrities and their partner face weekly judging from dancer/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba and renowned Ballroom judge Len Goodman. If you would like to attend this show in Los Angeles then click here to be added to the waiting list, you might just get lucky!

Be sure to tune in and tell all your friends too!

Visit www.jamiecullum.com for all the latest news on Jamie and sign up to the mailing list!

2009 Festival dates!

2009-03-16T10:31:00Z

Jamie Cullum is scheduled to appear at various festivals in the summer of 2009!

10th July - Colours of Ostrava, Czech Republic

12th July - North Sea Jazz Festival, Holland

18th July - Live at Sunset, Zurich, Switzerland

February news

2009-02-16T13:18:00Z

Jamie launches his own personalised Valentines Day card!

Following on from the success of the Advent calendar on his website this Christmas, which offered top prizes every day of December, Jamie Cullum is offering his fans another opportunity to get involved.

Cullum will launch his own personalised Valentines Day video e- card of Jamie performing My One And Only Love on Tuesday 10th February 2009. The card will be personalised at 5 separate points in the message, and will be promoted across Jamies social network pages and official website, www.jamiecullum.com

Jamie is currently putting the final touches to his fourth album with producer Greg Wells in LA, as well as playing the occasional show. He will be appearing at the Hard Rock Café as part of the Q Music Club on April 30th, plus more dates still to be announced. He was also nominated for his second Golden Globe for the lead track from the new Clint Eastwood movie Gran Torino, which has now made over $120,000,000 at the US box office and is set for a release in the rest of the world this month.

ADVENT CULLUMDAR! - Announcement from Jamie HQ

2008-11-29T14:38:00Z

Here at jamiecullum.com were delighted to announce our incredible 'Advent Cullumdar' prize draw, with each day from 10am GMT on December 1st bringing a new opportunity to win one of our fantastic giveaways.

We have a variety of exclusive stocking fillers up for grabs including tickets for not only John Legend live in Amsterdam, but also AC/DC on their upcoming European tour. On top of this there is a Nokia Comes With Music phone, cookbooks and a signed chefs jacket from Jamie Oliver, a day out at a Silverstone Test Day with hospitality, a Nintendo Wii and lots, lots more!

So, what do you have to do to enter? Its simple; just visit the official Jamie Cullum website any time after 10am GMT on Monday December 1st and go to the advent calendar and enter the draw for that day's prize. Then sit back and wait for the lucky winners to be announced in January!

Join the Jamie Cullum Street Team NOW!

2008-11-09T23:31:00Z

I need to find some of Jamie's BIGGEST fans in the north of England and Scotland. If that might be you, read on!

So I am the Jamie Cullum Street Team Leader for the North of England (wow that's a mouthful ) and I have this new assignment to find enthusiastic, friendly and reliable fans to join my team. I know it is hard to believe that there may still be people out there who haven't heard of Jamie yet but I can tell you, there are So it is our job to share this knowledge, we have a duty!

WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?

I will need you to help me promote Jamie when he comes to town and maybe other times.
Preferably you will live in or around cities such as:

Newcastle
Carlisle
Glasgow
Edinburgh

or be able to travel to them easily.

WHO CAN GET INVOLVED?

Here is the criteria to become a member of my Street Team:

1. BIG fan of Jamie Cullum

2. Friendly

3. Reliable

4. Enthusiastic

5. Able to work as part of a team

6. Grade 8 standard Piano player (okay, that one is optional!)

So you see, those are the qualifications. Do you fit the bill?

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?

If you would like to get involved and help promote the amazing Jamie Cullum as well as have fun in the process, then please contact me as soon as possible. Jamie will release his new album in the Spring, and then be out on tour. So I need my team ready to go! What are you waiting for?

If you don't live in the UK but would still like to get involved, get in touch and I can pass your details onto a Team Leader in your area! And if you have any friends who you think might like to join in, let me know!

Hope to hear from lots of you very soon.

Thanks

Jamie Cullum at the BBC Electric Prom TONIGHT!

2008-10-22T16:40:00Z

Hello all!

This is not the regular monthly JamieCullum.com email. That will be arriving in your inbox in the not too distant future. This is just a quick reminder to let you know that Jamie is performing a song as guest vocalist with Burt Bacharach at the BBC Electric Proms tonight.

If you're in the UK you can tune in and watch the performance on BBC 2 and listen on the radio and online at www.bbc.co.uk/radio2

Details:

TV - BBC 2 - Oct 22, 23.30
Radio - BBC Radio 2 - Oct 24, 19.30

If you're outside the UK you may not be able to tune in, but we still want to let you know about our new competition. The prize is the song sheet for the song that Jamie and Burt perform together. The song sheet will of course be signed by both Jamie and Burt and the competition is open to everyone.

Just log into JamieCullum.com to Enter.