There's Music in the Night

I told Pyles as the Jamie Cullum show was ending tonight that I should have guaranteed it, and promised to give her her money back if she didn't enjoy it. That's how much I love Jamie Cullum, and how strongly I can stand by his live shows. They're just incredible, and tonight's show at the Orpheum was no exception. No sense going into too many specifics, but from top to bottom, start to finish, I think this may have been the best Jamie Cullum show I've ever seen, and I've seen him four times. It was another rowdy, fun time. The crowd was into it, despite some folks who just kept getting up to go out. Our seats were great. And the set list was spot-on: Jamie played his good stuff (including "Mind Trick, which was missing from the set list the last time I saw him) and he played some really cool covers really well, particularly Norah Jones' "Turn Me On" (which, oddly, Jamie dedicated to his father, who was in the audience, because apparently it's his favorite song) and James Taylor's "Fire and Rain." Jamie came into the audience a couple times, and he actually sang a cover of "Nature Boy" entirely in an aisle. Otherwise, "Photograph," "Frontin'," and "London Skies" were great, as were "These Are the Days," the solo version of "All at Sea," and, of course, my favorite of his songs, "What a Difference a Day Made." Of course, there are songs I wish he'd played (like "My Yard"), but that'll happen when I like most everything on his three albums.

Perhaps you don't know Jamie, despite the fact that I've written about him before on this site. Well, for all you who don't know him — and those who like a little soundtrack with your reading — check out the new widget I've added to the blog in the upper right hand column. Just click "play" and you'll hear one of his songs, likely "Photograph." And know that as nice as that song is, and as good as his albums are, they don't compare to how good Jamie is live. As I said, I've seen him four times now and I'd see him anytime. I guarantee his shows as some of the best ones out there.