Jamie to appear on South Bank Show (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Jamie to appear on South Bank Show

BRIT Award nominated jazz singer and pianist Jamie Cullum will appear on BBC2s topical arts programme the South Bank Show on February 22.

The Hullavington-born prodigy, whose recent album Twentysomething has become the fastest selling British jazz album of all time, will talk to presenter Melvyn Bragg about his astonishing rise to fame.

On Tuesday the 24-year-old pianist and singer is set to perform a showpiece duet with highly regarded folk singer Katie Melua at the Brit's ceremony at London's Earl's Court.

Jamie will slog it out with The Darkness, Dizzee Rascal, Busted and Lemar in the British Breakthrough Artist category at the British music industry's annual celebrations.

Jamie shot to fame after small gigs at the Apartment in Havelock Square and last year signed a £1 million deal with Universal Records.

From playing in pubs in Wootton Bassett and the Swindon Jazz Festival, he now enjoys sell-out British tours and gigs at venues such as London's Royal Festival Hall.

His modern twists to old classics such as I Get A Kick Out Of You, Singin' In The Rain, Radiohead's High And Dry and Jimi Hendrix's The Wind Cries Mary, coupled with his own songs, have brought jazz into the mainstream.

But just before Christmas he found time to return to his roots and play a gig at the Apartment, for which tickets were £5 and sold out in 15 minutes.