Jamie Cullum - what do you think?
Tuesday, November 8th, 2005Listened to this dude’s music for some time now
(about two months).
Listened to two of his albums - TwentySomething and
Catching Tales. (Can’t find his first album - Pointless Nostalgic). Anyone has
it/or the files?
(about two months).
Listened to two of his albums - TwentySomething and
Catching Tales. (Can’t find his first album - Pointless Nostalgic). Anyone has
it/or the files?
I find that I like his style of vocal jazz…
Previously, I would just listen to instrumental jazz… Of the (few) "classic
jazz" songs that I have listened to, I just didn’t dig the vocals. Couldn’t
connect.
Previously, I would just listen to instrumental jazz… Of the (few) "classic
jazz" songs that I have listened to, I just didn’t dig the vocals. Couldn’t
connect.
This dude here… I like the diverse style of
rhythms and instrumental arrangements as well as the blend of genres (funk, and
others I do not know the name) etc.
rhythms and instrumental arrangements as well as the blend of genres (funk, and
others I do not know the name) etc.
What do you think of this dude’s music? Over to you
now! (Comment…)
now! (Comment…)
<hr>
On another note (no pun intended) I wonder whether
Malaysians have the capability to produce music like this. At that age… this
guy is just so young, 25-26 and already has a Sterling 1m record deal with
Universal… I wonder whether any Malaysian could rise up to this level too. I
definitely do not mean through the talent show and TV contests like Malaysian
Idol and such… Yes, those talent shows are hard enough to win already, which
makes it all the more remarkable that Cullum did not come up through these
avenues (he produced his first album himself, etc. etc)
Malaysians have the capability to produce music like this. At that age… this
guy is just so young, 25-26 and already has a Sterling 1m record deal with
Universal… I wonder whether any Malaysian could rise up to this level too. I
definitely do not mean through the talent show and TV contests like Malaysian
Idol and such… Yes, those talent shows are hard enough to win already, which
makes it all the more remarkable that Cullum did not come up through these
avenues (he produced his first album himself, etc. etc)
For someone to come up this way… A solid music
background from an early age is important… for example, like Bee Gees, Cat
Stevens (The Artiste Now Known As Yusuf Islam) were from families with musical
background, where diverse listening and instruments were part of their early
life. And I don’t mean classical music training - I find that most artistes that
I listen to (who write their own songs, a particular example is Nobuo Uematsu)
were not formally trained.
background from an early age is important… for example, like Bee Gees, Cat
Stevens (The Artiste Now Known As Yusuf Islam) were from families with musical
background, where diverse listening and instruments were part of their early
life. And I don’t mean classical music training - I find that most artistes that
I listen to (who write their own songs, a particular example is Nobuo Uematsu)
were not formally trained.
Not only that, I don’t know whether the commercial
environment in Malaysia is conducive for the rise of young talents. Probably in
the Mandarin-pop and Malay-pop-rock segment, yes, but I am thinking about jazz
in the Jamie Cullum style, that is daring renditions and fresh new ways of
arranging music - and giving spontaneous live performances - not the bubblegum
pop and the subsequent concerts based on basically pre-arranged material not
much different from the released albums (Michael and Victor come to mind. Not to
say that their achievement is not great, but it’s just that I don’t expect
spontaneous renditions during their live concerts, and the instrumental and
rhythmical prowess, as well as the command over and/or rapport with the
sessionists, required for that.)
environment in Malaysia is conducive for the rise of young talents. Probably in
the Mandarin-pop and Malay-pop-rock segment, yes, but I am thinking about jazz
in the Jamie Cullum style, that is daring renditions and fresh new ways of
arranging music - and giving spontaneous live performances - not the bubblegum
pop and the subsequent concerts based on basically pre-arranged material not
much different from the released albums (Michael and Victor come to mind. Not to
say that their achievement is not great, but it’s just that I don’t expect
spontaneous renditions during their live concerts, and the instrumental and
rhythmical prowess, as well as the command over and/or rapport with the
sessionists, required for that.)
Then again, jazz was never really *that* big in the
UK where Cullum came from… so I don’t think that environment is such an
insurmountable obstacle. Given someone good enough, talented enough to make a
breakthrough, and one day people may even forget that the particular genre was
once not ‘hot’ in that country. Example: who would have imagined the Beatles
would have ‘liberated’ the whole world with their brand of music? There was
certainly no one before them that they could have become famous riding on the
wave of an ‘already popular genre’. Likewise.
UK where Cullum came from… so I don’t think that environment is such an
insurmountable obstacle. Given someone good enough, talented enough to make a
breakthrough, and one day people may even forget that the particular genre was
once not ‘hot’ in that country. Example: who would have imagined the Beatles
would have ‘liberated’ the whole world with their brand of music? There was
certainly no one before them that they could have become famous riding on the
wave of an ‘already popular genre’. Likewise.
However, another aspect of ‘environment’ may be
more crucial. I don’t know how many people get together to play jazz, let alone
arrange daring new material. Sigh… people still have to pay the bills and put
food on the table, so one in the end has to whore (for want of a better word)
themselves to the tastes of the public, than to take the time, effort and risk
to come up with experimental material. So I believe, if someone is not able to
create the style by the time one finishes tertiary studies, it may very well be
too late. Cullum cut his first album at… 19?
more crucial. I don’t know how many people get together to play jazz, let alone
arrange daring new material. Sigh… people still have to pay the bills and put
food on the table, so one in the end has to whore (for want of a better word)
themselves to the tastes of the public, than to take the time, effort and risk
to come up with experimental material. So I believe, if someone is not able to
create the style by the time one finishes tertiary studies, it may very well be
too late. Cullum cut his first album at… 19?
Lack of popular clubs and lounges that have a live
band also are a damper for the rise of such talents. Where do people go
clubbing? Probably somewhere with hip-hop and techno. I don’t know any popular
place with live bands (*not rock*). Hotels don’t count: only guests sit around
in the lounge, not a crowd ala those in clubbing places. So that won’t really
do. Without much exposure, commercial benefit, and without a community to gain
inspiration and share ideas with, it’s a mountain to climb to come up with such
talent.
band also are a damper for the rise of such talents. Where do people go
clubbing? Probably somewhere with hip-hop and techno. I don’t know any popular
place with live bands (*not rock*). Hotels don’t count: only guests sit around
in the lounge, not a crowd ala those in clubbing places. So that won’t really
do. Without much exposure, commercial benefit, and without a community to gain
inspiration and share ideas with, it’s a mountain to climb to come up with such
talent.
Maybe I’ll write more next time.
And over to you again! (Comment…)
