From funding his own CDs to bagging a £1m record deal with Universal Records, Jamie Cullum is a jazz sensation.
With five critically acclaimed albums, a Grammy nomination, Artist of the Year at the BBC Jazz Awards, Ronnie Scott's Jazz Award for Best British Male and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song for his composition, Gran Torino under his belt, Jamie is undoubtedly the UK’s biggest jazz artist.
2010 got off to a good start for Jamie; having released his fifth studio album The Pursuit, an expansive labour of love that embraces the full range of his diverse talents. The Pursuit and its accompanying tour encapsulate the same musical fluency, emotional commitment and lyrical wit that helped to make Jamie's prior releases Twentysomething and Catching Tales international crossover smashes, which have sold five million combined copies worldwide.
Jamie released his self-funded debut album, Heard It All Before, in 1999. The surprise success of the album put him contact with jazz bassist Geoff Gascoyne, who offered Jamie the opportunity to play on his album Songs of the Summer and encouraged the young musician’s second album release, Pointless Nostalgic, in 2002.
Jamie has seen all the sides of the music industry – which makes him an ideal judge for Must Be The Music. He revealed: “I’m honestly so pleased to be involved in a competition that gives all musicians out there the opportunity to be heard. I know that some people may feel that their unique approach to music doesn’t normally have a voice, but they are exactly who we are looking for – genuine talent in whatever form it takes”
Jamie has spent the majority of this year entertaining audiences with his energetic live show which has seen him visit the US, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Europe. Jamie plays the BBC Proms on 26th August with the Heritage Orchestra and he has also just announced a new set of dates that will see him re-visit Germany, France and Switzerland in the winter.
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