2nd of October 2003

Blowing away the cobwebs

So, a little later than planned, I guess I'm not like Moby after all, but here goes a full Oak Room Report straight from the horse's mouth.

This is not an easy room to play. It is small, long and thin and we are in the middle having to look both ways regularly to make sure everyone is involved. Also the audience (all paying about $70) are generally of a certain age and disposition with regards as to what "should" be played here. This tiny room on Tuesday night was packed, mostly with reviewers and curious muso types, a few Oak Room regulars and some loyal supporters. There was so much tension and expectation in the air you could practically see a green mist hovering above the crammed audience. I am very rarely partial to nerves, but I think this was enough to put anyone on edge.

"The legendary Oak Room is proud to present the US Debut of.......JAMIE CULLUM!"

There was nervous applause as I walked in wearing a suit. I haven't worn a tie in ages and thus felt a bit like I was going to an interview. We began a new arrangement of a tune called "It Could Happen to You" which we promptly mucked up, I then started whacking the piano as an intro to "It Ain't Necessarily so" much to various tables astonishment, then I started dancing and, well, the evening started to take shape. I told them how much I loved their city, I told them I hadn't worn a tie in ages and basically just did my thing. I played some standards, some stuff from the new record, even "High and Dry". It all seemed to go down a storm, and a lot of people came up to me afterwards and said that what we were doing was a breath of fresh air blowing away the cobwebs.

There were no deaths, no walkouts, just a healthy amount of applause, an encore, and free Martinis afterwards (that's all you can drink in this place). The reviews come out in three or four days and will determine whether anyone will turn up for the next three weeks.

New York in the meantime is gorgeous, the leaves are starting to turn, there are loads of great new movies out, you can get chicken noodle soup everwhere, and the cowboy in his pants is sounding better than ever. Oh yeah, I saw Britney Spears too, but shes got nothing on the cowboy........

jc

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