Jamie Cullum Performs to Please

Jamie Cullum knows he's got a lot to live up to when he graces the stage of the Newport Jazz Festival.

"When I played here in 2004, I was scared shitless," Cullum told festival goers Saturday evening. "I still am a bit."

Just moments before he came out for his second performance in Newport this year (the star opened the festival Friday night at the International Tennis Hall of Fame), jazz luminaries Chick Corea, Kenny Garrett, Christian McBride and Roy Haynes wowed the audience with their collaborative talents, born from decades of playing. Veritable jazz institution Ahmad Jamal took the stage shortly before.

Still, if Cullum harbors any fear from following such legends, he doesn't show it on stage. The 30-year-old, 5-foot-4 Englishman commands his audience from the moment he sets foot in front of them. His rock star style qualities help—the shaggy-haired pianist came out wearing a blazer and tie, but quickly stripped down to a graphic t-shirt, all while grooving around on stage or jumping atop his piano. But it's his ability to appeal to a wide range of ages, and musical tastes, that really gets him noticed.

The MTV generation first caught wind of Cullum back in 2004, when he gained notoriety with his cover of Pharell's song, "Frontin'." Pharell was so impressed by Cullum's rendition that the hip hop producer befriended the neo-Jazz artist, leading to several musical collaborations between the two.

On Saturday, Cullum began his show with a Tony Bennett cover, but soon moved on to Rihanna. The festival crowd cheered when he later began crooning lines from Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman." Within seconds, however, Cullum had flipped to the Kanye West remix of that song, entitled "Gold Digger."

"Growing up," Cullum told the audience, "I would write songs that could be played on the radio. Then I'd put piano in the middle, and nobody wanted it."

Cullum has clearly risen above that challenge, making a name for himself with several radio jazz-pop hits, including "All at Sea." He noted that that song began as a minor sensation on the cruise ship circuit, where he spent an early portion of his career.

On another original hit, "Twentysomething," the star had his crowd of all ages clapping on two and four, "like a real jazz audience," as he paced the stage singing lines about post-collegiate anxiety.

By the end of his show, Cullum was out in the crowd, singing down the aisles as fans rushed toward him. All were on their feet, jumping and cheering, as he finished off with "Mixtape," singing "All the things that I have seen, from Morrissey to John Coltrane."

Prior to performing Saturday, Cullum spent some time backstage interviewing the legends of the festival, including founder George Wein, for his BBC radio show.

"He's why I'm here," Cullum told his fans.

The Englishman tried to humble his act, calling he and his bandmates nothing more than "five lads on stage." Cullum noted how seeing Dave Brubeck on the side of the stage during his first Jazz Fest performance in 2004 "really put the willies" on him. 

"We've seen all of our heroes today," Cullum told his fans Saturday. "This is such an amazing festival to play, to attend, and I don't take that lightly."