Review of Jamie Cullum's New Album - The Pursuit

I discovered Jamie Cullum a few years ago thanks to one of the free albums iTunes sometimes puts out. I will be eternally grateful to iTunes for that.

Jamie is a British jazz musician who just released his newest album, The Pursuit, in March of 2010 here in the states. After listening to this CD for the past month, I think it's safe to say Jamie is not only a Jazz player but has created his own genre of music. It's a mixture of old standards, jazz, pop, R&B, rock, and house music that somehow works on one album. And works wonderfully. the best part, all the songs are done Jamie's way.

I was really blown away and surprised by the first track on the album, a Cole Porter cover called Just One of Those Things, but not because it's a cover of an old standard. I was blown away because it was a big band swing style song (recorded with the Count Basie Orchestra) that is just perfectly done. A great, fun song to get the CD going.

From there the CD goes into all kinds of directions. I'm All Over It is a piano driven pop song that will never get old. You And Me Are Gone is a song that makes you want to dance and without you realizing it you'll soon find yourself clapping your hands along to the beat. Slowing the groove down a bit is If I Ruled The World, Love Ain't Gonna Let You Down (Quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite Jamie Cullum songs), and I Think, I Love.

Oh but the genres haven't stop yet, Not While I'm Around is a cover of a song from the Broadway musical "Sweeney Todd". It's something Jamie really tried (unless you count I Could Have Danced All Night which I don't) but pulls off in typical Jamie style.

He also shows his interest and different musical talents in the songs We Run Things and Music Is Through. These two songs are more house/techno efforts. They both work and give just another side to this CD that isn't often seen in other Jamie Cd's.

In all The Pursuit is an amazing album and Jamie is definitely a breath of fresh air when compared to most other musical talents that crowd our radio airwaves. If your looking for something new and different but still is worth listening too, you have to check out Jamie and all his music.

One more note, Jamie is even better live. His talents can only really be appreciated when he's drinking his Guinness on stage and going crazy on his piano in front of you. He's by far my favorite artist to see live. If you ever get a chance take it. I promise you won't be sorry.