SINATRA IN SNEAKERS

HE WAS A PUB-PLAYING WANNABE ONLY THREE YEARS AGO. TODAY, JAZZ SINGER, JAMIE CULLUM IS IN THE 2006 RICH LIST WITH AN ESTIMATED £5 MILLION. BUT HE STILL CATCHES THE BUS AND PREFERS A PINT WITH HIS MATES RATHER THAN GOING TO SWANKY PARTIES words: brian claridge HE’S HAD ENDLESS reasons to crack open the celebratory champagne, but Jamie Cullum still likes his beer. “Cheers!” says the young jazz star, raising his glass in his favourite watering hole, the William IV pub in north London’s Harrow Road. The 26-year-old is here to talk about his meteoric rise to fame, the tours, the groupies and the relatively modest lifestyle he leads for an international megastar. His album Twentysomething sold more than two million copies, making him one of Britain’s best-selling jazz artists and he was voted as one of the 200 most powerful men in the world by GQ magazine. All of which would be enough to make anyone constantly remain behind curtained-off VIP quarters. But no-one in the pub takes a blind bit of notice of Cullum as he blends in with the rest of the lunchtime drinkers. It’s hard to believe that the diminutive (5’5”), fashionably scruffy singer in low slung baggy jeans, sneakers, creased T-shirt and straggly hair has performed at sell-out concerts throughout the world. He also played at the Queen’s private birthday party and was a guest at Sir Elton John’s ‘wedding’ party to his long-term companion David Furnish. Although he refutes the comparison to legendary Frank Sinatra, he still takes it as a compliment, as he’s always been a big fan. Cullum has also been described as the ‘David Beckham of Jazz,’ a tag he finds hard to connect with. “I don’t know where they come up with all these comparisons,” he says. “However, if it keeps people buying my records, that’s all that matters.” He comes across as polite and easygoing, with no axe to grind. He keeps a low profile, only giving interviews when he has something to announce like a new album or concert – reflecting the business side of Cullum. The day we met, he was about to embark on a gruelling two month tour covering Japan, America, Asia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. Does all the travelling take it out of him? “It doesn’t bother me,” he replies casually. “It’s all part of the job and I enjoy what I do.” So how did it all happen for the Essex-born lad brought up in Wiltshire? “I guess it’s the usual cliché of being in the right place at the right time,” he muses, flicking his unkempt hair from his eyes. He admits he never had any ambitions to be famous when he realised music was his passion. “I didn’t think I had the talent, confidence or ability to be a professional. It just fell into place.” He first took an interest in jazz in his teens and was hooked the moment he heard Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. By the time he went to Reading University to study English and film, he was working as a singer-pianist at night in pubs, hotels, wedding receptions and even on cruise ships and recorded his first album, Heard It All Before, with a student loan. He sold 700 copies at a tenner each at gigs and ploughed the profits into making his second album, Pointless Nostalgic. “Music was all I ever wanted to do. I had a show the night before my finals and missed my graduation to go on tour. I made albums and sold them after gigs. I didn’t think any more deeply about it.” His older brother, Ben was a big influence and plays electric bass on some of his albums and co-writes with him, although he has his own group. Cullum’s unique vocal style and treatment of jazz standards and popular classics soon caught the attention of audiences and music critics throughout the world and led to his £1 million record deal with Universal Classics & Jazz in April 2003. By October the same year, no one could have predicted the phenomenal success of his third album, Twentysomething. Tearing down the barriers between pop and jazz, the album juxtaposed unique arrangements of jazz standards with a handful of Cullum’s own compositions and piano-led versions of songs by Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Buckley. “I had no idea it would do so well and was delighted at its success.” he says. His album, Catching Tales, released in September 2005, is a smorgasbord of jazz standards, pop, swing and r&b. Cullum collaborated with a number of music figures such as Neptunes’ superstar Pharrell Willliams. The album is described as the ultimate Jamie Cullum album. The trappings of fame mean little to Cullum. He enjoys the simple life and his interests include cooking, parties, going to the cinema and watching Columbo. He lives in a luxury flat in Kensal Green with his Brazilian girlfriend, Isabella Cannell, and keeps fit by going for walks, swimming and riding his bicycle. He rarely discusses past girlfriends, even though the tabloids have linked him to a number of glamorous ladies, and he’s not fussed about going to first nights or swanning about at swanky parties. His favourite night is a few beers down his local where he feels at home. “I’m away so often and like to get together with my mates and catch up.” Although he gets chauffeured by car and tour bus when he’s working, Cullum catches the bus or tube if the gig is near his London flat or hotel. “It’s not always practical to take my car and public transport is cheap, eco-friendly and just as good.” He is sponsored by Audi and has had the benefit of being given their cars over the years, his current one being an Audi A4 Quattro. “It’s dark blue, with a black leather interior, satellite navigation, CD changer and cruise control. It’s really comfortable to drive and I love all the gadgetry,” enthuses Cullum. “I used to drive to concerts years ago and was clocking up thousands of miles a year. Now all I use the car for is to go to the supermarket and my parents’ in Bath.” He loves driving in America and recalls cruising along the highway in Los Angeles in an open-top Cadillac. “It was a beautiful sunny day and I was enjoying the fresh air and wide open road when a limousine drove past me, with its back windows down. I glanced over and saw this couple having sex in the back. It’s hardly something you expect to see in public, never mind on the highway in broad daylight. It was quite amusing!” When it comes to holidays, Cullum rates Thailand as one of his favourite destinations. “I went with my girlfriend and stayed at the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa which has to be one of the most luxurious hotels on the island. It’s set on a beautiful unspoilt beach and is sheer paradise. We tried all the massages and spa treatments that were available, went deep-sea diving and wined and dined in style. It was by far one of the most indulgent holidays of all time.” His favourite country is Brazil. “It’s vibrant and the culture is raw. The music is incredible and there’s nothing like a street party in Rio to get your adrenaline flowing. I would love to visit Iceland because of the culture and Burma because my mum was born there. I hope to go to India next year.” His favourite country for performing is France. “The French love my music and I get a varied audience. It’s also a beautiful place and the food’s fantastic. I also love London. It has lots of culture, great food and exciting nightlife, with some of the best jazz clubs like Ronnie Scott’s, The 606 Club and Pizza Express Jazz Club.” His most essential travel item is his journal in which he keeps a daily log. “I use it for writing lyrics and noting creative thoughts. I’d be lost without it,” he admits. Other items in Cullum’s luggage include several novels, a PlayStation PSP, CDs, sketch books, camera and his Apple Mac computer to make music, watch movies, or send and receive emails. “I’m away for such a long time, I like to take things that keep me occupied during long flights and at airports and enable me to stay in touch with family and friends.” He enjoys most types of music and his record collection includes Sufjan Stevens, Kanye West, Wolf Parade, Sander Kleinenberg and Miles Davis. When it comes to shopping, Cullum’s favourite city is Los Angeles. “They have some great second-hand clothes shops” he says. “I also like shopping in New York and buying trainers in Tokyo.” In common with most megastars, Cullum gets his fair share of groupies wherever he goes. “It’s an occupational hazard,” he says with a deep sigh. “Touch wood I haven’t had too much trouble,” he says leaning forward and reaching out to touch a wooden table. “There’s the fans that respect your privacy when you’re off stage and others that try to find their way to your dressing room and that sort of thing” he says. “What sort of thing?” I ask spontaneously. “Gentlemen never kiss and tell!” replies Cullum cautiously, in case I spill the beans to The News of The World. Groupies aside, he considers it an honour if someone recognises him and is always ready to oblige with an autograph. “The only time I get hacked off is when someone wants to take a photo of me, when I’ve just come off a long flight and am knackered.” Before we part company, I ask Cullum if he knows what he’s worth, referring to his entry in the 2006 Rich List? “I have absolutely no idea!” he replies, putting his glass down to shake my hand. “It would be fantastic if I did have £5 million as I’m reported to have. It just goes to show how much of what you read in the media is fiction. I’m doing very well but nowhere near that amount.” £5 million or not, he’s achieved a lot at an early age and has no illusions of grandeur, which is an achievement in itself.