No longer a 20-something, British jazz artist Jamie Cullum is in a new stage of life. After the triumph of his critically acclaimed breakthrough album, Twentysomething, he needed something different for his fifth studio album.
'I needed to frighten myself,' says Cullum. 'Getting out of your comfort zone is such a cliche. But it really worked.'
Cullum took a well-deserved two-year break after touring for two years. But the 'holiday' was far from a time for relaxation as he was on the constant lookout for new musical inspiration.
During his sabbatical, Cullum visited Ethiopia with Unicef, and was overwhelmed by the wild, tribal sounds of the African percussion; he built a recording studio, Terrified Studios, named for his mild technophobia; and he performed for some of the world's greatest minds at the TED Conference, an annual gathering of international innovators.
He also played in bands, DJ'd and collaborated on projects with artists like Kylie Minogue, the reunited Spinal Tap and his brother. But topping the list of projects was an invitation from jazz-lover Clint Eastwood to write the theme song of his movie Gran Torino. The mix of Cullum's music, and lyrics by the legendary actor-director, earned the song a Golden Globe nod.
These experiences all contributed to his long-awaited upcoming release, The Pursuit. The title is taken from Nancy Mitford's classic novel The Pursuit Of Love, and is proof of his never-ending pursuit of and enduring love for music.
