Jamie Cullum announced as headliner for Gateshead Jazz 2020 as festival returns with a new name

Jamie Cullum has been announced as the headliner of the newly renamed Gateshead Jazz 2020.

The world-famous singer-songwriter and BBC Radio 2 presenter will perform at the North East music venue on Friday, March 20, 2020.

He is the first act to be announced at Sage Gateshead’s 2020 jazz festival, with more acts to follow over the coming months.

The festival, with its new name, Gateshead Jazz, returns following a break in 2019.

Tamsin Austin, director of performance programme at Sage Gateshead, said “We’re very excited to be welcoming Jamie Cullum as our opening headline act to Gateshead Jazz.

“The festival forms part of our new, broader, year-round jazz programme, and from next year will take place on its new fixed slot of the third weekend of March.”

Jamie Cullum releases his eighth studio album Taller on June 7, written and recorded at home and at the studio of his long-time friend and collaborator Troy Miller, who has also worked with the likes of Emeli Sande, Mark Ronson and Laura Mvula.

It is five years since his last album, and Taller sees Cullum exploring more personal subject matter.

He says: “It’s going to be so fun playing this new music with my incredible band. We’re going to draw on these new songs and reinvent plenty of old ones too.”

With 10 million album sales to date and his successful BBC Radio 2 show, Cullum is a celebrated musician the world over.

With a career spanning more than 20 years, his legendary live shows have seen him perform and work alongside artists as diverse as Herbie Hancock, Pharrell Williams, Kendrick Lamar and Lang Lang.

Tickets go on sale at 9.30am on Friday, June 7. To book, visit sagegateshead.com or call the box office on 0191 443 4661.