For many years, when jazz was less mainstream and accessible, it was often Jamie Cullum who was cited as the hope for British jazz. When he released 'Twenty Something' in 2003, it was certainly the first time that other people were talking about the music that I was enjoying listening to. At 40, I suddenly could have conversations with people about jazz without them thinking I was weird. Now Cullum is being honoured with the Impact Award at the 2025 Jazz FM Awards.
Although Cullum has always been on my wishlist for guests on Harmonious World, I was delighted to interview pianist and composer Sultan Stevenson, celebrating his new album El Roi and also his nomination for Breakthrough Act in the same awards. If talking about Cullum made me a little bit cool in 2003, then chatting with Stevenson in 2025 may be ramping up my credibility a little.
This year’s ceremony will be hosted by Ben Bailey Smith (AKA Doc Brown) and nominees for the 2025 Jazz FM Awards include (of course) Ezra Collective, Michael Kiwanuka, Nubya Garcia, Shabaka, Meshell Ndegeocello, Samara Joy and Jalen Ngonda. Cullum and Stevenson are in great company.
The Jazz FM Impact Award, sponsored by luxury Swiss watchmaker Raymond Weil Genève, celebrates visionaries who have played a pivotal role in bringing jazz into the mainstream, and Cullum has absolutely been achieving that for two decades. He's sold more than 10 million albums and been a celebrated broadcaster, showcasing the talents of others and allowing them to stand squarely upon his shoulders.
Although Cullum has always been on my wishlist for guests on Harmonious World, I was delighted to interview pianist and composer Sultan Stevenson, celebrating his new album El Roi and also his nomination for Breakthrough Act in the same awards. If talking about Cullum made me a little bit cool in 2003, then chatting with Stevenson in 2025 may be ramping up my credibility a little.
This year’s ceremony will be hosted by Ben Bailey Smith (AKA Doc Brown) and nominees for the 2025 Jazz FM Awards include (of course) Ezra Collective, Michael Kiwanuka, Nubya Garcia, Shabaka, Meshell Ndegeocello, Samara Joy and Jalen Ngonda. Cullum and Stevenson are in great company.
The Jazz FM Impact Award, sponsored by luxury Swiss watchmaker Raymond Weil Genève, celebrates visionaries who have played a pivotal role in bringing jazz into the mainstream, and Cullum has absolutely been achieving that for two decades. He's sold more than 10 million albums and been a celebrated broadcaster, showcasing the talents of others and allowing them to stand squarely upon his shoulders.
Previous recipients of the Impact Award include Grammy-winning Norah Jones, legendary guitarist and vocalist George Benson, Oscar-winning filmmaker Damien Chazelle, acclaimed jazz vocalist Gregory Porter, renowned broadcaster and pianist Jools Holland, and the influential music education organisation Tomorrow’s Warriors. They have all made groundbreaking contributions - whether through performance, education, or media - to make jazz more accessible to audiences around the world.
Jamie Cullum says: "Jazz has been a constant source of inspiration and joy in my life, and to be recognised in this way by Jazz FM – an essential radio station that has championed the genre for so long - is a real honour. It’s a privilege to be part of such a rich and evolving musical tradition."
Jamie Cullum says: "Jazz has been a constant source of inspiration and joy in my life, and to be recognised in this way by Jazz FM – an essential radio station that has championed the genre for so long - is a real honour. It’s a privilege to be part of such a rich and evolving musical tradition."
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