Le Zénith is the name given to a series of indoor arenas in France. The first arena, "Le Zénith de Paris" is a rejuvenation of the Pavillon de Paris. Since its opening in 1983, "Le Zénith" became a registered trademark in France. In French culture, the word "zénith" has become synonymous with "theatre". A zénith is a theater that can accommodate a concert tours, variety shows, plays, musicals and dance recitals. All zeniths carry a similar internal design of an indoor amphitheatre that can seat at least 3,000 spectators. A venue was planned to open in Saint-Denis, Réunion entitled Zénith du Port. The arena was proposed in 2005 by the city council. Planned to open in 2008 with a capacity of 6,000, the construction of the arena was shut down. It was determined the venue would not be profitable as there was no research done to see which events the arena could house. They also felt the venue would be a hard sell to bring in international talent. Kabardock was built on the proposed site of the zenith.

Le Zénith de Paris[link]

Evanescence performing at Le Zénith de Paris

• Address: ‪Allée du Zénith‬ ‪75019 Paris, France
• Built: 1983
• Opened: 1984
• Capacity: ~6,300
• Website: Le Zénith de Paris Website

Le Zénith de Paris is an indoor arena located in the 19th arrondissement in Paris. The arena was built in 1983 at the site of the former music hall, Pavillon de Paris, by architects Phillippe Chaix and Jean-Paul Morel. The construction of the arena was initiated by Minister of Culture, Jack Lang, to maintain the rock and roll scene to Paris. The first musician to perform at the venue was French singer-songwriter, Renaud Séchan. Over the years, the venue has played host to many French artists including:Jenifer, Jean-Jacques Goldman, Vanessa Paradis, Johnny Hallyday and Michel Sardou. Also, several international artists have played the venue including: Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Amy Winehouse and Nightwish. Live albums by Laura Pausini, The Cure, Muse, Evanescence, Morrissey, Les Cowboys Fringants and Chico Buarque have been recorded at the venue.

The arena has also played host to the MTV Europe Music Awards in 1995, World Wrestling Entertainment in 2007 and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2010.

It is the first incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Le Zénith Sud[link]

Interior of Zénith Sud

• Address: 2733 Avenue Albert Einstein 34000 Montpellier, France
• Built: 1985—1986
• Opened: 1986
• Capacity: 6,300
• Website: Zénith Sud Website

Le Zénith Sud (also known as Le Zénith Sud de Montpellier) is an indoor arena in Montpellier. The venue was designed by architects Phillippe Chaix and Jean-Paul Morel, who have designed several other "Le Zénith" buildings. The building opened in 1986 and was renovated in 2001 and 2006. It was the main arena in Montpellier until the Arena Montpellier opened in 2010. Over the course of 25 years, the arena has hosted concerts by Ben Harper, Muse, -M-, Yannick Noah and Deep Purple.

It is the second incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Zénith Oméga de Toulon[link]

Rear entrance of venue

• Address: Boulevard du Commandant Nicolas 83000 Toulon, France
• Built: Unknown
• Opened: September 1992
• Capacity:8,875
• Website: Zénith Oméga de Toulon Website

The Zénith Oméga de Toulon (also known as Zénith Omega) is an indoor arena located in Toulon. The arena opened September 7, 1992. The venue also has a nightclub called Omega Live. The space is used for private events and after parties. The arena has hosted concerts by Mylène Farmer, Zazie, Jenifer, Tina Turner and David Bowie.

It is the third incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Zénith de Pau[link]

Exterior of Zénith de Pau

• Address: Boulevard du Cami-Salié 64000 Pau, France
• Built: 1990—1992
• Opened: December 1992
• Capacity: 7,500
• Website: Zénith de Pau Website

The Zénith de Pau is an indoor arena located in Pau. Located near the Hippodrome du Pont-Long, the arena's design is identical to the Palais des Sports de Pau, which is nearby the venue. The venue opened on December 12, 1992. A concert by Johnny Hallyday followed the next day. The venue host many musical events along with theatrical shows. Concerts by Garou, André Rieu, Frédéric François, Véronique Sanson and William Sheller.

It is the fourth incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Zénith de Nancy[link]

• Address: Rue du Zénith 54320 Maxéville, France
• Built: Unknown
• Opened: 1993
• Capacity: 6,000 (theatre) 25,000 (amphitheater)
• Website: Zénith de Nancy Website

The Zénith de Nancy (also known as Zénith Nancy de Montpellier) is an indoor arena located in Maxéville, northwest of Nancy. The venue consists of in indoor theatre (known as "Grande salle du Zénith") and an outdoor amphitheater. It is the largest and most frequently used zénith. The venue has hosted concerts by Depeche Mode, Elton John, Hilary Duff, Tokio Hotel and Natasha St-Pier.

It is the fifth incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Zénith de Caen[link]

• Address: ‪Rue Joseph Philippon‬ ‪14000 Caen, France
• Built: Unknown
• Opened: June 1993
• Capacity: ~7,000
• Website: Zénith de Caen Website

The Zénith de Caen (also known as Zénith Caen—Normandie) is an indoor arena located in Caen. The venue, designed by Jacques Millet and Claude Renouf, opened in June 1993. Leonard Cohen and Eddy Mitchell, along with stage performances of Grease and the Cuban National Ballet.

It is the sixith incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Zénith de Lille Grand Palais[link]

• Address: ‪1 Boulevard des Cités Unies‬ ‪59777 Lille, France
• Built: 1988—1994
• Opened: June 1994 (Arena opened in November 1994)
• Capacity: 7,000
• Website: Zénith de Lille Grand Palais Website

The Zénith de Lille Grand Palais (also known as Zénith de Lille and Zénith Arena) is an indoor arena located in Lille near the Université du Droit et de la Santé. The arena was a long term project commissioned by former mayor of Lille, Pierre Mauroy. The space was intended to be a competitor for Paris' Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy to bring sporting events, theatrical shows and concerts from South England. The project began in 1980 however it was not completed until June 1994.

The venue, designed by Rem Koolhaas, contains three auditoriums, 28 meetings rooms, a banquet hall and the Zénith Arena. It has hosted concerts by Aretha Franklin, Goldfrapp, Dusty Springfield, Eminem and Portishead.

It is the seventh incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Zénith d'Orléans[link]

• Address: 1 Rue du Président Robert Schuman, 45100 Orléans, France
• Built: 1995—1996
• Opened: September 1996
• Capacity: 6,900
• Website: Zénith d'Orléans Website

The Zénith d'Orléans (also known as Zénith Orléans) is an indoor arena located in Orléans. The venue opened on September 26, 1996. The first concert was by Charles Aznavour on October 3, 1996. Not only does the venue host entertainment events, it is one of the few zéniths that serves as a sporting arena. The venue is the home arena of the Orléans Loiret Basket. The arena has hosted concerts by Grégoire, Julien Clerc, Patrick Fiori, Élie Semoun and Joan Baez.

It is the eighth incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Le Zénith de Toulouse[link]

Exterior of Le Zénith de Toulouse

• Address: ‪11 Avenue Raymond Badiou‬ ‪31000 Toulouse, France‬
• Built: 1998
• Opened: April 1999
• Capacity: 9,000
• Website: Le Zénith de Toulouse Website

The Le Zénith de Toulouse is an indoor arena located in Toulouse. The venue was designed by André and Serge Gresy, who have also done the Palais Nikaia, Zénith d'Auvergne and the Grande Halle d'Auvergne. The arena began construction in 1998 and opened in April 1999. The first event held at the venue was a concert organized by Jean-Pierre Mader. The concert was hosted by French actor Ticky Holgado and featured performances by Chevaliers du fil, Pauline Ester, Bernardo Sandoval, and the l’Orchestre de chambre national de Toulouse. The venue faced renovations after the explosion at the nearby AZF Factory.

Over the years, the arena has hosted concerts by The Cranberries, Muse, Kylie Minogue, Norah Jones and Green Day.

It is the ninth incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Zénith de Rouen[link]

Exterior of Zénith de Rouen

• Address: ‪4 Avenue des Canadiens‬ ‪76120 Le Grand-Quevilly, France
• Built: March 3, 2000—January 12, 2001
• Opened: February 25, 2001
• Capacity: 8,000
• Website: Zénith de Rouen Website

The Zénith de Rouen (also known as Zénith de l'Agglo de Rouen) is an indoor arena located in Le Grand-Quevilly, five miles southwest of Rouen. The arena was designed by Swedish architect, Bernard Tschumi in 2001. His designed was honored by the American Institute of Architects. The arena has hosted concerts by Eddy Mitchell, Michel Sardou and Frédéric François.

It is the tenth incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Zénith d'Auvergne[link]

Aerial view of Zénith d'Auvergne, located on far right

• Address: ‪Rue de Sarliève‬ ‪63800 Cournon-d'Auvergne, France‬
• Built: 2003
• Opened: December 2003
• Capacity: 8,500
• Website: Zénith d'Auvergne Website

The Zénith d'Auvergne is indoor arena located in Cournon-d'Auvergne, nearly seven miles east of Clermont-Ferrand. It is located at the Grande Halle d'Auvergne. It was designed by André and Serge Gresy. The building completed construction in October 2003, followed by a concert featuring Johnny Hallyday in December 2003. The venue has hosted the Davis Cup in 2007 and 2010. It was also the site for the Dakar Rally in 2004.

It has hosted concerts by Jean Michel Jarre, Pierre Perret and Yannick Noah, along with stage performances of Dora the Explorer, Lord of the Dance and Scooby-Doo and the Pirate Ghost.

It is the eleventh incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Zénith de Dijon[link]

Layout of Zénith de Dijon

• Address: ‪Allée Colchide‬ ‪21000 Dijon, France‬
• Built: 2004—2005
• Opened: October 2005
• Capacity: 7,800
• Website: Zénith de Dijon Website

The Zénith de Dijon (also known as Zénith Dijon) is an indoor arena located within the Parc de la Toison d'Or in Dijon. The venue was designed by Philippe Chaix and Jean-Paul Morel. Construction began October 2004 and was completed in August 2005. The venue opened on October 6, 2005. To celebrate its fifth anniversary, the venue hosted a celebration festival that included a performance by American rock band Santana.

Over the years, the arena has hosted concerts by Sylvie Vartan, Thomas Fersen, Franz Ferdinand, Moby and Joan Baez.

It is the twelfth incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Le Zénith Nantes Métropole[link]

Exterior of Le Zénith Nantes Métropole at night

• Address: ‪ZAC D'ar Mor‬ ‪44800 St Herblain, France
• Built: 2004—2006
• Opened: December 2006
• Capacity: 8,500
• Website: Zénith de Nantes Métropole Website

The Le Zénith Nantes Métropole is an indoor arena in located in Nantes (in the suburb of Saint-Herblain. The arena is located near the Atlantis le Centre. The venue was designed by Phillippe Chaix and Jean-Paul Morel, who have designed several "Le Zénith" arenas. Construction began in 2003 and completed in 2006. Alternative rock band, Placebo became the inaugural event for the venue on December 2, 2006. Since then, the arena has hosted numerous artists including Sheryl Crow, Linkin' Park, Jeff Beck, Simple Plan and Sting.

It is the thirteenth incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Zénith de Limoges[link]

• Address: 16, Avenue Jean Monnet 87100, Limoges, France
• Built: 2005—2007
• Opened: March 2007
• Capacity: 6,000
• Website: Zénith de Limoges Website

The Zénith de Limoges (also known as Zénith de Limoges Métropole) is an indoor arena located in Limoges. The venue was designed by Bernard Tschumi, who also designed the Zénith de Rouen. The arena was originally proposed in 1995 to be included in Limoges Métropole. Construction was pushed back until 2005 due to funding. The first brick was laid on April 8, 2005. The building features a unique exterior feature that displays several douglas-fir surrounded in a polycarbonate shell. The venue opened on March 17, 2007, with a concert by Michel Polnareff. Since its opening, the arena has hosted events by Patrick Bruel, Pascal Obispo and Joan Baez.

It is the fourteenth incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Zénith de Strasbourg[link]

Zénith de Strasbourg seen at night

• Address: ‪BP 84097 Eckbolsheim‬ ‪1 allée du Zénith, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France
• Built: 2006—2007
• Opened: January 2008
• Capacity: ~12,100
• Website: Zénith de Strasbourg Website

The Zénith de Strasbourg (also known as Zénith Europe) is an indoor arena located in Eckbolsheim, three miles west of Strasbourg. The venue began construction in January 2006 and ended in December 2007. The venue was designed by famed Italian architect, Massimiliano Fuksas. The exterior of the building was meant to mimic the lantern of Aladdin. On opening night, the venue hosted several free concerts from local bands in Strasbourg.

The first event held at the arena was "W9VIP Live" on January 9, 2009. The event was organized by French television stations W9 and M6 to commenerate Télévision Numérique Terrestre (digital television in France). The concert contained performances by Alizée Jacotey, Amel Bent, Emma Bunton, Christophe Maé, Jenifer Bartoli, Laure Pester, Melissa M and Les Déesses.

The venue has hosted many artists including: Coldplay, Beyoncé Knowles, Mylène Farmer Lady GaGa and Elton John. It has also hosted WWE Smackdown and Festival des Artefacts.

It is the fifteenth incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Zénith d'Amiens[link]

• Address: ‪impasse de l'Hippodrome‬ ‪80000 Amiens, France‬
• Built: 2006—2008
• Opened: September 2008
• Capacity: 6,000
• Website: Zénith d'Amiens Website

The Zénith d'Amiens (also known as SAS Zénith Amiens Métropole) is an indoor arena located in Amiens near the Stade de la Licorne and Hippodrome d'Amiens. The venue was designed by famed Italian architect, Massimiliano Fuksas. Construction began in May 2006 and was completed in July 2008. The arena was to be completed in November 2007 but was stalled an additional eight months due to financing. The arena conveys a smiler design to Zénith de Strasbourg, completed only seven months earlier. It opened on September 27, 2008 with a free concert by Arno Elias, Rokia Traoré and Keziah Jones.

Artists to have played the venue include Marc Anthony, Lara Fabian, Christophe Maé, Nicolas Canteloup and Pascal Obispo

It is the sixteenth incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

Le Zénith de Saint-Étienne[link]

Exterior of venue

• Address: Rue Scheurer-Kestner 42000 Saint-Etienne, France
• Built: 2006—2008
• Opened: October 2008
• Capacity: 7,200
• Website: Zénith de Saint-Étienne Website

Le Zénith de Saint-Étienne (also known as Zénith de Saint-Étienne Métropole) is an indoor arena located in Saint-Étienne, near Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Construction began in September 2006 and was designed by Norman Foster. The building has an aluminum roof that is designed to capture winds, acting as a natural ventilation. The arena opened October 10, 2008 with a concert by Johnny Hallyday for fr:Tour 66. The venue has hosted concerts by Bernard Lavilliers, Jean Michel Jarre and Michel Sardou.

It is the seventeenth incarnation of the "Le Zénith" franchise.

See also[link]

• Zenith (disambiguation)

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (May 2012)

Jamie Cullum
Cullum performing in 2011
Background information
Born	(1979-08-20) 20 August 1979 (age 32) Rochford, Essex, England, UK
Genres	Crossover jazz, power pop, blue-eyed soul, jazz-pop
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, piano, keyboards, guitar, bass, drums
Labels	UCJ, Candid, Decca, Verve (US), Verve Forecast (US), Deckdisc (BR)
Website	www.jamiecullum.com

Jamie Cullum (born 20 August 1979) is a British pop and jazz-pop singer-songwriter, of Anglo-Burmese and Jewish extraction. Though he is primarily a vocalist/pianist he also accompanies himself on other instruments including guitar and drums. Since April 2010, he has been presenting a weekly jazz show on BBC Radio 2, broadcast on Tuesdays from 19:00.^[1]

Early life[link]

Cullum was born in Rochford, Essex.^[2] He was brought up in Hullavington, Wiltshire.^[3]

His mother, Yvonne, is a secretary of Anglo-Burmese origin, whose family settled in North England after Burma's independence; his father, John Cullum, worked in finance. His paternal grandfather was a British Army officer, while his paternal grandmother was a Jewish refugee from Prussia who sang in Berlin nightclubs.

Education[link]

Cullum was educated at Grittleton House School, an independent school in the village of Grittleton, near the market town of Chippenham in Wiltshire, followed by the sixth form of Sheldon School, a state comprehensive school in the same county. He then rejected a place at the University of Oxford to go on to study English Literature and Film Studies at the University of Reading, where he graduated with First Class Honours.

Musical career[link]

With only £48 to produce it, Cullum released his first album, Jamie Cullum Trio—Heard it All Before, in 1999, of which 500 copies were made.^[4] Due to their rarity, original copies have sold for as much as £600 on eBay.^[5] The success of Heard it All Before resulted in Cullum being invited to appear on Geoff Gascoyne's album Songs of the Summer^{[citation needed]}.

After graduating from Reading University, Cullum released his best-selling album, Pointless Nostalgic, which stirred interest from Michael Parkinson^[6] and Melvyn Bragg.

Just after Cullum made his first television appearance, on Parkinson in April 2003, he signed a £1m contract^[7] for three albums with Universal, who beat Sony in a bidding war. Cullum's second studio album, Twentysomething, released in October 2003, went platinum and became the No. 1 selling studio album by a jazz artist in the United Kingdom. Cullum ended 2003 as the UK's biggest selling jazz artist of all time.^[7]

Although primarily a jazz musician, Cullum performs in a wide range of styles and is generally regarded as a "crossover" artist with his musical roots firmly based in jazz. Cullum draws his inspiration from many different musicians and listens to an eclectic mix of music from Miles Davis^[8] to Tom Waits and many more. Cullum has belonged to several bands, ranging from banging drums in a hip hop group to playing guitar in rock bands such as Raw Sausage and The Mystery Machine, in his teenage youth. Cullum names his elder brother, Ben Cullum, as his biggest musical influence, and the two continue to collaborate extensively.

Cullum is well known not only for his abilities on the piano, but also for his style and charisma^{[citation needed]}. One of the many things that features in Cullum's concerts is the Stomp box (not to be confused with an effect pedal for guitars), made from a small wooden block. The stompbox is used to amplify a musician's tapping foot. Cullum found this in Melbourne, Australia and uses it to enhance upbeat and fast-paced songs such as "Seven Nation Army", originally by The White Stripes and "Gold Digger", originally by Kanye West. He is also often found using a looping machine. This plays a heavy part in Cullum's versions of "Seven Nation Army" and "Teardrop" by Massive Attack. Cullum also beatboxes at most gigs.

As well as The White Stripes and Kanye West, Cullum has performed work by Massive Attack, Pharell, Rihanna, Pussycat Dolls, Radiohead, Gnarls Barkley, Elton John, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Joy Division, Lady Gaga and many others. He has also performed with Kylie Minogue, Sugababes, Will.i.am, Burt Bacharach and The Heritage Orchestra.

Cullum never works to a set list and on average his gigs last just over two hours. The gigs are largely improvised, rooted in jazz but not solely consisting of jazz music.

Cullum has played at many large music festivals, including Glastonbury Festival (in 2004 and 2009), New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (in 2005), Coachella 2005, 2006 South by Southwest, North Sea Jazz Festival, the Hollywood Bowl (performing with the Count Basie Orchestra) and the 2006 Playboy Jazz Festival. On 30 April 2006 Cullum played his biggest ever crowd on Queensday in the Netherlands.

In February 2012, Germany picked Roman Lob with "Standing Still", a composition by Cullum, along with Steve Robson, and Wayne Hector, as their entry for the Eurovision Song Contest.^[9]

[edit] Pointless Nostalgic

Pointless Nostalgic began life as a self-funded project and eventually got taken on by Candid Records, featuring a mix of standards, originals and contemporary covers. It was recorded in Spring 2001 at Clown's Pocket Studios, Bexley, by Derek Nash and co-produced by Geoff Gascoyne.

On the album, Cullum created covers of old classics with new arrangements of Warren and Burke's Devil May Care, Thelonious Monk's Well You Needn't and Gershwin's It Ain't Necessarily So.

The song as recorded by Cullum ("It Ain't Necessarily So") is also used in the film "The Anatomy Of Hate; A Dialogue To Hope " by Mike Ramsdell.

[edit] Twentysomething

Recorded at London's Mayfair Studio and released in 2004, Twentysomething contains a mix of jazz standards, contemporary tunes and ballads.

Due to the acoustic nature of the music, producer Stewart Levine chose to record and mix Twentysomething entirely on analogue tape. Since the album was recorded almost entirely "live" with no need to correct or improve performances, Levine saw no need for the infinite amount of tracks and computerised digital recording.

The album includes jazz standards "What a Diff'rence a Day Made", "Singin' in the Rain", and Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick out of You", modern takes on My Fair Lady's "I Could Have Danced All Night", Jeff Buckley’s "Lover, You Should Have Come Over", and Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary", as well as new tracks written by Cullum and his brother Ben, including the first single from the album All At Sea and the title track "Twentysomething".

[edit] Catching Tales

Cullum's third major label album, also produced by Stewart Levine, entitled Catching Tales, was released on 26 September 2005, in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and two weeks later in the United States, on 11 October. The American and French versions of Catching Tales do not include the track "Fascinating Rhythm", which appears on the European version. The first single released from the album, in the United Kingdom, was "Get Your Way", a collaboration with Dan The Automator that used a sample from the Thad Jones song "Get Out Of My Life, Woman". The second single released, in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, was "Mind Trick", written by Cullum and his brother Ben. The third single from the album was the self-penned track "Photograph", which Cullum said was written on New Year's Day 2005 after he found a box of old photographs at his parents house.

A special edition version of Catching Tales was released in Europe, featuring a 20-minute documentary, including behind the scenes footage of Cullum recording the album and on the road footage, from across Europe. Catching Tales has also been released on double vinyl, as was the first single, "Get Your Way". A limited edition version of the "Get Your Way" single was released on red vinyl.

Cullum collaborated with Pharrell Williams. They recorded various songs together and it was thought that the track titled "Wifey" would make an appearance on Catching Tales, but this was prevented by legal and contractual problems. Cullum's vocals finally featured on Pharrell's debut solo album, on a track titled "You Can Do It Too", though Cullum is not credited as a featured artist.

Cullum performing at Colours of Ostrava, July 2009

Cullum toured in support of Catching Tales from the end of October 2005 to December 2006.

[edit] The Pursuit

On 4 June 2009, Cullum announced the title of his fourth studio album, The Pursuit. The album, which was released on 10 November 2009, is produced by Greg Wells,^[10] and the first single is "I'm All Over It", written by Deacon Blue frontman, Ricky Ross. The album was recorded at a Los Angeles studio, using songs that Cullum originally recorded at his Shepherd's Bush recording studio, Terrified Studios.^[11]

The Pursuit was recorded in a variety of places; Cullum's kitchen, a studio in L.A. and Terrified Studios (his own in Shepherd's Bush). Various musicians were also used in the recording process. Songs recorded in L.A. mostly used session musicians and sees Greg Wells and Cullum play various instrument including drums and bass. "Don't Stop The Music", the second single from the album (released as a download only in January 2010)^[12] was recorded with Chris Hill and Brad Webb.

From 2003 to 2008, Cullum played consistently with Geoff Gascoyne on bass, and Sebastiaan de Krom on drums. From 2003 until 2004 the trio was joined by Ben Castle on saxophone, John Hoare on trumpet, Barnaby Dickinson on trombone and Malcolm MacFarlane on guitar. Sam Wedgwood (guitarist, bassist and trumpeter) later joined Cullum on tour, for a little over a year. At the end of 2005 Cullum was joined by Tom Richards (saxophonist, occasional guitarist and percussion). Soon after that Sam Wedgwood left to pursue his own solo musical career. At the beginning of 2006 Rory Simmons (trumpeter and guitarist) joined the band as a replacement, bringing the total number of band members (including Cullum himself) to five.

In late 2009 Cullum replaced Geoff Gascoyne (bass) and Sebastiaan de Krom (drums) with Chris Hill (bass) and Brad Webb (drums).

Awards[link]

The British Jazz Awards first recognised Cullum's growing success by awarding him the "Rising Star" award, at the 2003 ceremony in July.^[7] At the 2004 BRIT Awards, Cullum was nominated in the "British Breakthrough Act" category. He performed live in the ceremony at Earl's Court, a duet with Katie Melua of The Cure's "The Lovecats". In the 2005 BRIT Awards, Cullum was nominated for two awards: "Best Male Artist" and "Best Live Act". In 2005 Cullum was nominated for a Grammy while taking BBC Radio 2 "Artist of the Year" honours at the BBC Jazz Awards (as voted for by listeners of Radio 2). In 2007 Cullum won the Ronnie Scotts Jazz Award for "Best British Male". He was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for his composition Gran Torino for the Clint Eastwood film Gran Torino.

Projects[link]

Cullum's early music career saw him playing three or four times a week at Pizza Express's restaurants throughout London, gaining exposure and later his big break with Universal. Cullum now supports the "Pizza Express Big Audition with Jamie Cullum" competition which gives singers, song writers and musicians a platform and a chance to win a £5000 prize and a residency at the restaurant chain's Dean Street Jazz Club. In 2011, 7,500 acts entered the competition and the final was held at the Addison's Rooms in Kensington on 23 November. The final was judged by Jamie Cullum himself, Sir Michael Parkinson, M People's Heather Small and other music critics. The winning act was Offbeat South, an urban group of 18-21 year olds from Croydon. The other finalists were Andy Lewis, Elle Watson, Palms 13 and The Yesberger Band.^[13]

Personal life[link]

Cullum married British food critic and former model Sophie Dahl in a private ceremony in England on 9 January 2010.^[14] On 11 September 2010, the couple confirmed that they were expecting a child.^[15] Their daughter, Lyra, was born on 2 March 2011.^[16]

He was the subject of BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs on 25 March 2012.

He is a supporter of Swindon Town F.C..^{[citation needed]}

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jamie Cullum

• Official website
• Official record label site
• Jamie Cullum at BBC Programmes

I Muvrini
Background information
Origin	Corsica
Genres	Folk
Years active	1979–present

I Muvrini is a Corsican folk music group who sing traditional Corsican music in their native Corsican language.

History[link]

The group was formed in the early 1980s by the brothers Jean-François Bernardini and Alain Bernardini who were born in the village of Tagliu-Isulacciu in the north of Corsica. They are named after a type of wild sheep which live in the mountains of Corsica.

The Bernardini brothers were introduced to traditional Corsican music at an early age by their father, Ghjuliu, who was a well-known poet and singer. They recorded their first single with their father in collaboration with the group Canta u Populu Corsu. Ghjuliu Bernardini died in December 1977 and I Muvrini's first album, I Muvrini ... ti ringrazianu, which was released in 1979, was dedicated to their father's memory.

In 2000, I Muvrini joined up with Sting to record their most famous song, "Terre d'Oru" (English: Fields of Gold).

Throughout their career they have promoted the Corsican language and culture.

A concert in Warszawa, September 2008

Group Members[link]

Jean François Bernardini - vocals

Alain Bernardini - vocals

Stephane Mangantini - vocals

Achim Meier - synthesizer & piano

Patrick Manouguian/Manu Vergeade/César Anot/Mao Otayeck/Abdenour Djemai - guitars

Batterie: Paco Sery

César Anot - bass & vocals

Amar Mohali - drums

1er violon Nicolas Stevens/2ème violon Laurence Ronveaux/alto Marc Pijpops/violoncelle Jean-François Assy, Paul de Rocca Serra/violons Djamel Benyeles, Bertrand Cervera, Florina, Dragan Urlic, Dominique Miletti

Selected discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• 1979 - Ti Ringrazianu
• 1989 - Anu Da Vulta
• 1984 - E campà quì
• 1985 - lacrime
• 1987 - A l'encre rouge
• 1988 - Pe l'amore di tè
• 1989 - Quorum
• 1991 - A voce rivolta
• 1993 - Noi
• 1995 - Curagiu
• 1998 - Leia
• 2000 - Pulifunie
• 2000 - A strada
• 2002 - Umani
• 2005 - Alma
• 2007 - I Muvrini et les 500 choristes
• 2010 - Gioia

Compilations[link]

• 1998 - Sò

Live albums[link]

• 1990 - In core
• 1994 - Zenith 93
• 1996 - Bercy 96
• 2006 - ALMA 2005

Videos / DVDs[link]

• I Muvrini at Bercy '96
• Giru FR3
• Zenith '92
• Terra
• Alma 2005

Collaborations[link]

• 1999 - Άσε την εικόνα να μιλάει (Let the picture speak) with Pyx Lax.^[1]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: I Muvrini

• I Muvrini official web site (in English)
• Terracorsa, information on Muvrini and Corsica (in English)
• Curagiu, information (in French)
• www.IMuvrini.eu, information on I Muvrini (in English, French, German and Dutch]

References[link]

Selah Sue
Background information
Birth name	Sanne Putseys
Born	(1989-05-03) 3 May 1989 (age 23)
Origin	Leefdaal, Belgium
Genres	Reggae, soul
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Guitar, Vocals
Website	www.selahsue.com

Selah Sue (born Sanne Putseys,^[1] 3 May 1989) is a Belgian musician and songwriter.

Her debut album, Selah Sue (2011) was a major success, selling over 400.000 copies in Europe^[2], 200.000 in France alone. Today, she has chart success with the hit singles 'Raggamuffin', 'Crazy Vibes' and 'This World'.

In 2011, Selah Sue won an European Border Breakers Award (EBBA).^[3] In January 2012 during the EBBA award ceremony she was presented with the EBBA Public Choice Award.^[4]

Background[link]

Sanne Putseys was born in Leuven,^[1] but originates from the nearby Belgian town Leefdaal. At the age of fifteen, Sanne Putseys learned to play the acoustic guitar and started to write her own songs as well. When she was seventeen a Belgian producer asked her to sing some demo's of his songs, after which Universal offered her a contract. She refused, because she wanted to sing her own songs. At the same time she performed as the youngest and only female artist at the open-song contest Open Mic-avond at Het Depot in Leuven. Organizer and singer Milow (born Jonathan Vandenbroeck) had noticed her talents and asked her to perform in his supporting programme. Initially, Sanne Putseys managed to work out her musical career path while studying psychology at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. According to her, studying psychology helped her to understand more about human emotions, which also is something that she has to deal with in her musical activities. Eventually, she continued doing warm-up performances in collaboration with artists such as Jamie Lidell in London and Paris. Furthermore, she played with the Belgian band Novastar at the Paradiso in Amsterdam.^[5]

Her first EP was released in 2008, under the title Black Part Love.^[6] It contains five songs

Selah Sue in concert

From September 2008 until August 2009, Selah Sue received some curricular guidance from the Belgian musical theater Ancienne Belgique. The programme, in which she was involved there, has been set up to support promising artists who aren't associated with any record company or other kinds of managing assistance.

Selah Sue often covers songs of Erykah Badu and The Zutons, but she does appear to assemble a whole range of her own songs. Two of her well-known songs are "Mommy" and "Black part love", both of which are carried out acoustically. She says to be influenced by artists such as Lauryn Hill, M.I.A. and Erykah Badu.

In 2009, Selah Sue attended the stages of the North Sea Jazz Festival and that of the Lowlands.^[7] Additionally, she regularly appears on TV shows such as De Wereld Draait Door on Dutch television and several other Flemish TV shows.^[8]

In 2010, she played most of the biggest festivals in Belgium, including Les Nuits Botanique, Les Ardentes, Dour, Lokerse Feesten, Couleur Café and Pukkelpop. But also outside her native country in big festivals such as Lowlands (Netherlands), Les Eurockéennes de Belfort (France) and Sziget Festival (Hungary). On November 8, 2010 she played a support appearance for Prince on his Sportpaleis concert.^[9] She then went on a mostly sold out headlining show in Belgium, France and the Netherlands, presenting her forthcoming debut album.

On March 4, 2011, Selah Sue released her eponymous debut album, called Selah Sue. The album has peaked to number 1 on the Belgium Albums Chart, it has also charted in the Netherlands, France and Switzerland.^[10]

Besides several hits singles, such as 'This World' and 'Crazy Vibes', the album also contains a duet with Cee Lo Green, called "Please".^[11]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Extended plays[link]

• 2008: Black Part Love
• 2010: Raggamuffin

Singles[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Selah Sue

• Official website
• Myspace (English)

Burning Spear
Background information
Birth name	Winston Godfrey Rodney
Born	(1945-03-01) 1 March 1945 (age 67)
Genres	Reggae
Years active	1969–present
Labels	Studio One, Island, EMI, Heartbeat, Slash
Website	www.burningspear.net

Winston Rodney, OD (born 1 March 1945^[1][2]), also known as Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer and musician. Burning Spear is known for his Rastafari movement messages.

History[link]

Rodney was born in Saint Ann's Bay, Saint Ann, Jamaica, as were reggae singer Bob Marley and political activist Marcus Garvey who both had a great influence on Rodney's life: Garvey in his philosophy, which Burning Spear greatly took to, and Marley in directly helping Burning Spear get started in the music industry (by some accounts) by introducing him to Clement Dodd.^[3] Rodney met Marley at the latter's farm in 1969, and having told him that he wanted to get into the music business, Marley advised him to start at Dodd's Studio One label.^[3][4] Reggae singer Larry Marshall claimed that it was he, while visiting St. Ann's Bay with Jackie Mittoo, who was approached by Rodney, and gave him this advice, and arranged the introduction.^[5]

Burning Spear was originally Rodney's group, named after a military award given by Jomo Kenyatta, the first Prime Minister and President of an independent Kenya,^[6] and including bass singer Rupert Willington. This duo auditioned for Dodd in 1969, and recorded the debut single "Door Peep".^[3] They were joined by tenor Delroy Hinds (brother of Justin Hinds).^[3] The trio recorded several more singles for Dodd, and two albums, before they moved on to work with Jack Ruby in 1975.^[3] Their first recording with Ruby, "Marcus Garvey", was intended as an exclusive track for Ruby's Ocho Rios-based Hi-Power sound system, but was released as a single, giving them an immediate hit, and was followed by "Slavery Days".^[3] These recordings featured the backing band The Black Disciples, which included Earl "Chinna" Smith, Valentine Chin, Robbie Shakespeare and Leroy Wallace.^[3] The group worked with Ruby on their third album, Marcus Garvey (1976), which was immediately successful and led to a deal with Island Records to give the album a wider release.^[3] Island remixed and altered the speed of some of the tracks, much to the annoyance of fans and the group,^[7] leading Rodney to set up his own Spear label for future releases where he would have full control, although further releases followed on Island including a dub album (Garvey's Ghost) and the Man in the Hills album.^[3] In late 1976, Rodney split from both Ruby and group members Willington and Hinds, and from that point on used the name Burning Spear for himself alone. Dry and Heavy followed in 1977, self-produced but still on Island, and with a sizeable following by now in the United Kingdom,^[7] he performed in London that year with members of Aswad acting as his backing band for a sold-out show at the Rainbow Theatre, which was recorded and released as Live!.^[3] Aswad also provided backing on his next studio album, Social Living (1978), which also featured Sly Dunbar and Rico Rodriguez.^[3] A dub version of the album, Living Dub (1979), was mixed by Sylvan Morris.^[3] His profile was raised further by an appearance in the film Rockers, performing "Jah no Dead".^[7]

In 1980, Rodney left Island Records, and set up the Burning Spear label, which he signed to EMI,^[7] debuting on the label with Hail H.I.M., recorded at Marley's Tuff Gong studio and co-produced by Aston Barrett.^[3] A Sylvan Morris dub version followed in the form of Living Dub Volume Two.^[3] In 1982, Rodney signed with Heartbeat Records with a series of well-received albums following, including the 1985 Grammy-nominated Resistance.^[3] He returned to Island in the early 1990s, releasing two albums before rejoining Heartbeat.

Burning Spear tours extensively, and several live albums have been issued. His 1999 album, Calling Rastafari brought his first Grammy Award in 2000,^[6] a feat which he repeated with Jah Is Real in 2009.^[8]

In the mid 1990s, he set up the Burning Music Production company, handling his own bookings, and in 2002, he and his wife, Sonia Rodney who has produced a number of his albums, restarted Burning Spear Records, giving him a greater degree of artistic control.^[4][9][10] Since the mid-1990s, he has been based in Queens, New York.^[11]

Burning Spear was awarded the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer on 15 October 2007.^[12]

The Track "We Are Going" was featured in cycling documentary "Roam" by The Collective.

Discography[link]

Awards[link]

Burning Spear has won two Grammy Awards for Best Reggae Album; one at the 42nd Grammy Awards in 2000 for Calling Rastafari, and one for 2009's Jah Is Real. He has been nominated for a total of 12 Grammy Awards.^[10][13]

Nominations for Best Reggae Album:

• 1986 Resistance
• 1988 People of the World
• 1990 Live in Paris Zenith '88
• 1991 Mek We Dweet
• 1994 The World Should Know
• 1996 Rasta Business
• 1998 Appointment with His Majesty
• 2000 Calling Rastafari
• 2004 Free Man
• 2005 Our Music
• 2008 The Burning Spear Experience
• 2008 Jah Is Real

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site of Burning Spear
• Official Facebook Page
• Official Twitter
• Winston Rodney's Blog
• Our Music: Past, Present, and Future with Burning Spear - The Music Box, Vol. 12, #11
• Live performance images