Originally from Malmesbury in Wiltshire, England, he released his first album, Jamie Cullum Trio -- Heard it All Before, in 1999. It sold unusually well for a home-produced effort, and resulted in his being invited to appear on Geoff Gascoyne's album, Songs of the Summer. After graduating from the University of Reading in 2001, Jamie, who is largely self-taught, released a best-selling album, Pointless Nostalgic, and in April 2003 signed a record-breaking contract with Universal. Although primarily a jazz musician, he performs in a wide range of styles and is generally regarded as a "crossover" artist. In July 2003 he won the "Rising Star" category at the British Jazz Awards. His second album, Twentysomething, was released in October 2003.