We chat to Jamie Cullum!

We caught up with Jamie Cullum ahead of his appearance tonight at Covent Garden's Super Busking Gigs about fond busking memories (and the strange things people threw), what's on his Christmas wish list and who'll be wearing the apron in the Cullum/Dahl kitchen this Christmas...

 

 

 

Why did you want to get involved with the Super Busking Gigs? I busk - I think most musicians probably have. It's definitely not something that is alien to me, the whole busking thing. Covent Garden at Christmas is beautiful and Crisis is an amazing charity. It's obviously one that a lot of people think about at Christmas time though it's working and helping the homeless all year round.

It's a nice opportunity to get out there and play some songs.

 

 

 

How did you get involved with it?

 

I was asked and I jumped at the chance to do it. It's a no-brainer because we're often pitching up places and doing off-the-cuff gigs. There's not a lot of lights involved or dances or fire, so it's pretty much get the instruments out and have a bit of a play. It's a cool thing to do.

 

You've busked in France and Spain - what was that like?

 

I'll probably romanticise it all out of proportion! It's not really a particularly glamorous or memorable time. I was 17 or 18 and got asked to play a few times and asked to move a few others. I occasionally made a few pesetas here and there. My fondest memory of busking was probably in England in the West Country as that's where I grew up

 

Did anyone ever leave anything weird when you were busking?

 

Yeah, I got a full pack of cigarettes - an unused pack of 20 (Marlboro Reds). I used to get bottle tops, little bottles of whisky like you get on a plane, someone gave me a baseball cap, photos of themselves, telephone numbers - all sorts.

 

Will you be jazzing up any carols when you busk tonight?

 

Yeah, I might do that. I tend to do things spur of the moment so if I'm feeling particularly Christmassy, I'm sure I'll bust out a Christmas carol!

 

What kind of songs are you doing tonight?

 

I've absolutely no idea! I'll just walk on to the stage and do it there and then. I've been asked to play for about half an hour, but I'm sure I'll end up playing for longer than that.

 

What's on your Christmas list?

 

There's a brilliant book out by Soul Jazz called Freedom and Sound about a particular kind of jazz movement in the 1960s which I'd quite like. There's also a box set of movies by the Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. It's a box set of all the films he ever made.

 

 

With Sophie (Dahl) having released a cookery book have you been banned from the kitchen this Christmas?

 

Well, absolutely not. I've definitely not been banned, but I don't think there would be a person around who wouldn't be happy if she took over because she is an amazing cook.

I'm a good sous chef, you know, peeling, chopping. I can do the donkey work. I'll open the wine, wash up...

 

 

How old were you when you started playing the piano?

 

Probably about 8 or 9.

 

Was it one of those things your parents made you do or did you choose to take the lessons yourself?

 

In those early days lessons were done at school. My parents set that up and I saw it as part of school. I gave up quite quickly as I just wasn't interested. Then, it felt like going to Maths. It wasn't really exciting me; I was much more interested in playing the guitar. So I really see my piano renaissance happening when I was 15 when I started to teach myself.

 

 

You cover quite an eclectic mix of genres on your new album The Pursuit of Love?

 

I guess my musical personality is one that listens very wildly to many different things. The only thing I said to myself if I made this album is that I wanted to do justice to the great influences that I have. It wasn't about trying to increase styles, it was more about trying to represent yourself more truthfully.

 

What was your favourite song to cover?

 

Ooh, it's like trying to choose your favourite child - impossible really! It's quite hard to choose that, but I guess if I had to choose a favourite it would be Mixtape. It sums up the album for me really.

 

What have the reactions of the artists you covered been like?

 

Oh fantastic. In the past, Pharell really liked Frontin' so that's a pretty good start. Getting support from by Pharell is alright by me!

 

 

So, what does 2010 hold for you?

Touring. I put the album out in America early next year and I've got a UK tour in May, European tour in June and after that, pretty much the rest of the world. The touring part is the gold at the end of the rainbow.

 

Do you have a favourite location to tour in?

 

Touring in South America has been pretty amazing. We toured Brazil and Argentina. I guess because it felt exotic and the crowds are so different. Knowing that your music is so known over there - people knew all my records so that was an amazing feeling. It's funny, you go so far and you realise that your music has touched people in a very different culture in a very distant part of the world.

 

And finally, do you have any New Year resolutions?

 

To say ‘no' more!

 

 

Click here to find out more about Covent Garden's Super Busking Gigs