# CD review: Jamie Cullum – The Pianoman At Christmas 2020: Video, CD cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2020/12/09/cd-review-jamie-cullum-the-pianoman-at-christmas-2020-video-cd-cover/
- Published: 2020-12-09T14:55:48+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Fresh from winning his first Ivor Novello award for writing the year’s best song,
the multi platinum-selling musician and multi-instrumentalist Jamie Cullum announces
his first festive collection The Pianoman At Christmas. Jamie’s most ambitious album
so far, The Pianoman At Christmas features 10 original songs played by 57 of Britain’s
best musicians, was recorded in Abbey Road’s famous Studio 2 and is produced by 
Greg Wells whose The Greatest Showman soundtrack spent 28 weeks at number 1. The
Pianoman At Christmas is set to become a timeless Christmas staple after its release
on 20th November via Island Records.**

Speaking on the album, Jamie said: “So much of the Christmas music we all love is
stuffed full of all the things I am really drawn to in songs. Our ears seem ready
from December onwards for big bands, huge orchestras, beautiful chord changes and
focused, timeless lyrics. It is a world of classic songwriting that I have been 
operating in since the beginning of my career. So I set myself the task to try and
write ten, original Christmas songs that used these skills and obsessions to create
something uncynical and adventurous, full of the joys and complexities of the season,
that could be something you feel like reaching for every year. I have been so lucky
that every corner of this record has been touched by the world’s best – from the
legendary Studio 2 at Abbey Road, to the engineers, the arrangers, the producer 
and mixer. I hope the care, attention to detail and sheer joy that we put into this
record will bring a little magic this Christmas.”

Jamie has also released the roaring first single from the project – ‘Turn On The
Lights’. Intertwining playful keys with a symphony of strings, horns and an army
of orchestral percussion; the joyful ‘Turn On The Lights’ marks an exciting taste
of what’s to come from the festive offering.

The Pianoman At Christmas follows the 2019 release of Jamie’s ninth studio album
and most introspective work to date Taller. Jamie entwined funk, pop and gospel 
influences on Taller and the release saw him bravely explore personal subject matters
with a fresh sense of authenticity, each song reflecting a desire to grow, learn
and explore life. The album went on to land in the top 20, was lauded by the likes
of The Sunday Times and The Arts Desk for its ‘sublime’ songwriting and it even 
picked up an Ivor Novello award for the prescient ‘Age of Anxiety’ from the project.

With 10 million album sales to date, Jamie Cullum is a celebrated musician the world
over with loyal fans in every corner of the globe. With a career spanning over 20
years, his legendary live shows have seen him perform and work alongside artists
as diverse as Herbie Hancock, Pharrell Williams, Kendrick Lamar and IDLES – Jamie
writing on the latter’s forthcoming album Ultra Mono. The success of Jamie’s major
label breakthrough, Twentysomething in 2003 and its follow up Catching Tales saw
him nominated for a BRIT, Grammy and numerous other awards around the world. In 
addition to his enduringly successful recording career, Jamie has also established
himself as a multi-award winning music broadcaster; his BBC Radio 2 show celebrated
its 10th year on air this year.

01. It’s Christmas (3:15)
 02. Beautiful, Altogether (3:31) 03. Hang Your Lights(
4:57) 04. The Jolly Fat Man (3:04) 05. The Pianoman at Christmas (4:36) 06. Turn
On The Lights (4:15) 07. So Many Santas (3:28) 08. Christmas Never Gets Old (2:43)
09. How Do You Fly? (6:02) 10. Christmas Caught Me Crying (3:18) 11. In The Bleak
Midwinter (Amazon Original) (4:38)

![Jamie Cullum - The Pianoman At Christmas - LP+ – Rough Trade](https://i0.wp.com/
images.roughtrade.com/product/images/files/000/204/369/original/Jamie_Cullum_-_The_Pianoman_At_Christmas___cover_art.
jpg?w=640&ssl=1)

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