Jamie started his career on cruise ships. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with cruises should you be fortunate enough not to fall victim to any gastrointestinal misfortunes along the way, or, along similar lines, have Jamie Cullum cavorting mercilessly at the ivories whilst you bask in the warmth and beauty of the Mediterranean’s coastline – but that’s what you get with package deals, a little something of what you do like, and a little something of what you don’t like. And much the same could be said for compilation projects. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Nina Simone’s unconquerable lament, ‘I Think It’s Going To Rain Today’ and Brazilian jazz guitarist and incurable bossa romantic, Luis Bonfa we have underachieving techno lightweights like Laurent Garnier, who for all his swarthy Frenchness is still a latterday Jarre.
Featuring two brand spanking new tracks from Cullum himself – the Bing Crosby classic (written by Harry Creamer and Turner Layton as far back as 1918) and ‘I’d Probably Do It Again’, which I fear may be penned by the mini-man jazz prince himself, the compilation, for all it’s irrelevance, does provide a rather pleasing and seamless whole, drawing together the threads that link an ordinarily disparate range of artists that includes Herbie Hancock, Elbow, Cinematic Orchestra, Roni Size, Charles Mingus and Donovan – a resounding triumph in my book for someone who fails on daily basis to unite such conflicting interests and influences in his own working life. ‘Pointless Nostalgic’ may have been the title of Cullum’s 2005 album, but it’s far from applicable here.
Can’t fault the lad though, he’s had 2.5 million albums sold to date and sold out over 100 festival, stadium and concert hall gigs a year for the last three, including a 75,000 head-line performance in the grounds of Blenheim Palace. Jamie Cullum is undoubtedly a jazz phenomenon. His age, his scruffy, floppy locks and his sharp, precocious charismashould pretty much ensure a successful career.
Shorlty available for weddings, bar mitzvahs and yes, even cruises.