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Dye
Correspondent & Expert
Joined: 16 Nov 2003
Posts: 5146
Location: Planet Home; Buenos Aires, Argentina
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 Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 18:35 |
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DUAL DISC REVIEWS
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Jamiroquai - Dynamite
DUAL DISC
artist: Jamiroquai
album: Dynamite
format: 16-bit Stereo CD/Enhanced Stereo DVD
label: Epic
release year: 2005
performance: 8.5
sound: 7.5
reviewer: Bryan Dailey
If the Bee Gees, Stevie Wonder, KC & the Sunshine Band and Sade all got together for a disco orgy, the resulting love child would sing just like Jay Kay, the front man for modern-day British disco heavyweights Jamiroquai. America was introduced to Jamiroquai in 1997 with the release of the multi-platinum album Traveling Without Moving. The song “Virtual Insanity,” with its retro style and tripped-out video featuring moving sidewalks that carried Kay all around the screen as he seemed to moonwalk and float across the room, helped the band cut through the Nirvanas, Pearls Jams and Soundgardens that were fading in popularity by that time. Jamiroquai were a bit of a vacation from the hard grungy music that had been assaulting the airwaves for so long, and they found a niche that worked on alternative radio, as well as the big pop stations that have their Friday and Saturday night disco block jams.
Jamiroquai was gifted with a substantial new batch of younger fans thanks to a memorable scene in the cult comedy phenomenon “Napoleon Dynamite”; when Napoleon busts out his funky moves at the school rally, it’s to the Jamiroquai song “Canned Heat.” After this movie became a hit, it seemed every kid in America under 14 was exposed to Jamiroquai, and many of them (like my 13-year-old niece, who has “Napoleon Dynamite” ring tones on her cell phone) have been buying up Jamiroquai tracks in droves on iTunes. It seems to be no coincidence that the new album from Jamiroquai is titled Dynamite.
The opening track “Feels Just Like It Should” has some of the nastiest, low distorted guitar effects in the intro, but segues into an upbeat drum part as Jay Kay’s smooth falsetto vocals flow across the soundscape. When he sings the line “…coming like a laser beam,” producer/mixer/musical collaborator Mike Spencer throws some “laser beam” effects in the background of the mix. It may seem cheesy reading about it but in the context of the album it works perfectly, and lets you know this is about having a good time.
“World That He Wants” features an interesting mix, begining very low-fi, but as Jay Kay sings along to a piano and a string section that build in intensity, the clarity and fidelity are increased until the soundstage widens and the song opens up. It’s not a long tune but it shows the vocal range of Kay, as he sounds a little like ‘60s/‘70s icon Stevie Wonder.
The Sade influence is obvious on the smoothed-out “Talullah.” The bass line and chord structure, saxophone accents and soft flute melodies are so similar to several of Sade’s hits it’s frightening, yet doesn’t seem like any kind of musical plagiarism. If you want to impress your friends or perhaps a date on a Friday night, this track, with its stellar sound and production, is a sure bet.
“Electric Mistress” starts with the sound of ringing chimes over a funky disco beat that brings the intro to the Gap Band’s “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” to mind. The sequenced keyboard, bouncing bass beat and call and response vocals with the backup singers make for a high-energy track that would have been popular at Studio 54 back in the day.
The current single from the album is “Seven Days in Sunny June,” a very laid-back party tune with an acoustic guitar strum that has a bit of a “hippie” flavor that actually works with these highly polished British disco jams.
“Black Devil Car” is the closest thing to a rock and roll song on Dynamite. A lightly distorted guitar moves the song along, unlike most of the songs that are carried by a rolling bass line, where the guitar is there to provide off- beat accents and wah-wah fills. At first listen, this kind of rocking tune felt a little out of place, but despite its harder edge it still has an underlying funky quality that is unquestionably Jamiroquai.
The closing track “Time Won’t Wait” is so dead-on disco perfect that unless you knew it was recorded in the past year, you’d bet your life it was a lost Donna Summer track. The disco strings, horns and electric “slide whistle” effects that were so prevalent back in her day are resurrected here in modern hi-fi for your listening pleasure.
Jamiroquai has somehow done the impossible. They make music that sounds like it should have been recorded at the ’70s yet is completely relevant in today’s musical world. Many people feel that in the world of pre-packaged pop music and even electronic music, a premium is no longer placed on musicianship. With Jamiroqai’s latest release, they have shown that a band with absolutely killer musical chops has a place on MTV, the radio and in the record store bins.
Extra Features
Speaking of new ways of buying music -- Jamiroquai tracks selling in droves on iTunes -- this newest commercial disc format is called DualDisc, which features a CD on one side and a DVD layer on the other. Sony Music, a big supporter of DualDisc, has released many of their new albums in this format; Jamiroqai’s Dynamite (from Sony-owned Epic Records) is available on CD as well as DualDisc. On the DualDisc release, the CD side (which may not work on a few CD players or computer CD-ROM drives) features the same track listing and stereo mix that the standard Red Book CD release has. Where the extra value comes from the DualDisc package is on the DVD side. Flipping the disc over, the entire album is included with an “enhanced stereo” mix and an interview with Jay Kay, videos for “Seven Days in Sunny June” and “Feels Just Like it Should” and a making-of video for the latter. I don’t spend my spare time Tivo-ing MTV to see Jamiroquai videos or searching the internet for Jay Kay interviews, but since these little extras were right there for me they’re a nice addition to the disc, and illuminate how the new generation of music buyers wants more than just the music on a disc. DualDiscs with video content like this can motivate fans to purchase the entire disc rather than legally (or illegally) download just a few tracks, most likely only to have them live on the user’s iPod.
Sound
Although this album disappointingly does not include a surround sound mix on the DVD side, the enhanced mix sounds wider and has more separation than the CD layer. In my car stereo system as well as my home theater, the CD layer sounded a little bright and muddy during the intro to “Feels Just Like It Should,” whereas the DVD side, played in my home theater reference system, has a wide dynamic range and good separation between the instruments.
The disc on the DVD side has a warm ’70s analog feel, yet the vocals and guitars are stunningly clean on most of the tracks. They have a retro warmth that you’d hear on a Lenny Kravitz record, but the sound is very fresh and cleaner than most of Lenny's songs as he tends to use very noisy ’70s technology. The bass has a smooth rounded feeling, especially on the DVD side, and although this disc is not a true DVD-Audio disc, you will most likely opt for the DVD side whenever possible, as it is superior to the CD side |
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Jamiroquai – 'Dynamite' (Dual Disc) (Sony BMG) Released 28/11/2005
So after four years of relative silence since the multi platinum ‘A Funk Odyssey’, we thought the cocky king of funkadelic cool might have finally hung up his rather obscure range of hats, but oh no, not Jay Kay, and here we are again for another soul ride with their sixth studio album.
The fact that back in 1992 Sony signed Jamiroquai on a mega eight album contract may sound slightly optimistic, however judging by the sheer rawness and cultural diversity of ‘Dynamite’, it seems like a pretty safe gamble. First track ‘Feels Just Like It Should’ is groundbreaking, fusing funk through the digital grinder, and using Kay’s own voice for the fuzzy bass line, its filthy and fucking fantastic. Second single release ‘Seven Days In Sunny June’ is true Jamiroquai smooth soul, sending us back to the summer holidays chilling by the pool and soaking up the sun. Like the last album ‘A Funk Odyssey’, a strong dance presence is evident with ‘Electric Mistress’ providing another ripping baseline that will get even the shittest of dancers up off their feet for a boogie. And the funk-driven-rock ‘Black Devil Car’ provides yet another facet to Jays Kay’s musical vocabulary. Third single release ‘(Don’t) Give Hate A Chance’ and ‘Starchild’ are however disappointing as the funky-soul-with-dance combinations are nothing we haven’t heard before and leaks a slight normalness into an otherwise excellent album.
Originally released in September, this sleek dual disc addition of ‘Dynamite’ allows you to wack it into your stereo and also flips over into your DVD player. The DVD includes the full studio album in enhanced stereo, a couple of music videos, and a 22 minute documentary following the making of the phenomenal video ‘Feels Just Like It Should’. If your like me, i'd much rather listen to their music than be reminded of what a cheeky little shit Jay Kay actually is, but this documentary really does capture why he is a master of his trade. His determination to continually create new alternative material is undeniable and pushes the limits once again in making ‘Feels Just Like It Should’. Apart from the fact the song is as funky and organic as Jamiroquai have ever been, the video rocks. Jay Kay transforms from a geek, to a Candyman, to a…woman, whilst dancing up street lights and skidding down a road on the back of a car. You’re right once again you cool bastard, you are back with a vengeance |
D! (dyego) |
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Dye
Correspondent & Expert
Joined: 16 Nov 2003
Posts: 5146
Location: Planet Home; Buenos Aires, Argentina
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| Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 18:56 |
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Billboard Reviews
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Dynamite
Released: June, 20, 2005
Producers: Mike Spencer
Record Label: Sony
Peak Position: The Billboard 200 #145 on October 08, 2005
Album Review
Not unlike one of its lead singer Jay Kay's much publicized Lamborghinis, the U.K. funk band Jamiroquai is primarily a vehicle for its frontman's various fetishes. Which is another way of saying that Kay loves disco and fancy retro sneakers and he wears both well. He has done so ever since he hippie-danced his way out of the acid jazz ghetto of the early '90s with Jamiroquai's revelatory debut album, Emergency on Planet Earth. That album featured Kay's bright and soulful vocals against '70s-style funk and drew obvious comparisons to Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, and sundry other icons of vintage R&B. Not too much has changed in the years since and 2005's Dynamite finds Kay and Co. delving once again into various '70s- and '80s-inspired dance sounds. Similar to 2001's dazzlingly slick Funk Odyssey, Dynamite reveals Kay as a dancefloor eclectic, inclined to grab as much from Chic and Parliament as Kajagoogoo, the Police, and Terry Callier. Keeping to this grab bag aesthetic, Kay makes the most of his experimentation with some "vocal bass synthetics" on the hard funk title track. Also engaging is the melancholy soul-folk of "Seven Days in Sunny June" and the similarly quiet storm-ready ballad "Talullah." On the funky side of things, "Starchild" finds Kay proclaiming the coming of a disco superman while "Time Won't Wait" is an infectious Off the Wall-era Michael Jackson boogie fest with Kay urging people to make their dreams come true over a bed of pulsating disco beats. The Jamiroquai faithful would accept nothing less. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide |
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A Funk Odyssey
Released: September, 11, 2001
Producers: Pope
Record Label: Epic
Peak Position: The Billboard 200 #44 on September 29, 2001
Album Review
After the jarring reception of 1999's Synkronized, Jamiroquai constructed A Funk Odyssey, something more polished and slick inside the band's own brand of funky disco-rock. Jason Kay and keyboardist/songwriter Toby Smith perfected a maturation that was left keyed in Travelling Without Moving but left open-ended on Synkronized for a wide scope of musical delight. A Funk Odyssey taps into various illustrious grooves of the Latin world, classic rock, and mainstream club culture, and Jamiroquai is tight and eager to make everyone shake their groove thing in their own light. The first single, "Little L," beams with Kajagoogoo-like synths while warping into a funk-driven hue of orchestral whirlpools, but Jamiroquai allows the band's extroverted and unattached personality to shine on the worldbeat-tinged "Corner of the Earth." Kay strips aside all disco humor and grandeur for something personally inviting, something that's heartfelt too. A Funk Odyssey sparks classic enthusiasm, and it feels good. Dance music is not just a design, it's something far more tangible, and Jamiroquai surely captures a fierce desire to make it more emotional on the band's own level. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide |
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Synkronized
Released: June, 08, 1999
Producers: Al Stone
Record Label: Sony Soho Square
Peak Position: The Billboard 200 #28 on June 26, 1999
Album Review
Three years after their breakout Travelling Without Moving, Jamiroquai returned with another album that charts Jay Kay's continuing fascination with club-bound music of the 1970s -- from disco to jazz-funk to rare groove to later Motown -- but also shows signs of maturity. Produced by Kay with Al Stone, who also collaborated on Travelling Without Moving, the album includes several tracks (like the single "Canned Heat") that work infectious acid jazz grooves, and Kay's hipster vocals give out feel-good vibes through a set of ambiguously good-time lyrics. Though other tracks show a bit of an electronica update to the affairs, each still spotlights how strong and tight the band is. It may not be a leap ahead in sound, but Synkronized is another solid Jamiroquai record. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide |
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Travelling Without Moving
Released: September, 09, 1996
Producers: Jason Kay , Al Stone , M-Beat
Record Label: Work
Peak Position: The Billboard 200 #24 on September 27, 1997
Album Review
Travelling Without Moving deepens the acid jazz and '70s soul fusions of Return of the Space Cowboy, yet it doesn't have the uniform consistency of its predecessor. Nevertheless, Jamiroquai's fusions sound more fully realized with each outing, which makes its patchy songwriting forgivable. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide |
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Return of the Space Cowboy
Released: 1995
Producers: Jason Kay , Mike Nielsen
Record Label: Work
Album Review
Jamiroquai's sophomore record had all the slinky grooves and great musicianship of the debut, but it also offered a better set of songs and more ambitious musical themes. As with Emergency on Planet Earth, Jason Kay's dead-on impression of Stevie Wonder and Sly Stone drives the group's blend of acid jazz and funky R&B. "Space Cowboy" and "Light Years" were hits all over the world, and made the band stars in Europe and Japan, while substantial clubplay earned them a degree of recognition for American audiences. But Jamiroquai refused to be known as simply a party band; the group takes on social issues such as homelessness and Native Americans' rights. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide |
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Emergency on Planet Earth
Released: August, 10, 1993
Producers: Jason Kay , J.K. Lewis , Mike Nielsen , Toby Smith , Mike Nielson and others.
Record Label: Sony Soho Square
Album Review
Jamiroquai made a large initial splash in 1993 with Emergency on Planet Earth, a psychedelic melange of tight funky rhythms, acid rock intimations, and '70s soul melodies. Frontman Jay Kay introduces himself with an environmentally oriented manifesto inside the sleeve, and his lyrics smack of idealist save the planet revolution. But this revolution would be held on the dancefloor if the band's impressive rhythm section had anything to say about it. Horns, string arrangements, and a didgeridoo provide full texture on most of the album's tunes, and the socially aware party vibe raged into the U.K.'s number one album slot. For a debut, Emergency shows quite a range of diversity, from the up-tempo jazzy instrumental "Music of the Mind" to the stop-start funk of "Whatever It Is, I Just Can't Stop." ~ Troy Carpenter, All Music Guide |
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LateNightTales
Released: October, 21, 2003
Producers: The Commodores , Marvin Gaye , James Anthony Carmichael , Rick Jarrard , Bob Monaco and others.
Record Label: Ultra
Album Review
Jamiroquai's volume in the influences series Late Night Tales dovetails nicely with the loose-groove party funk Jay Kay and co. have made a specialty since debuting on England's acid jazz scene in 1992. Spanning the twin towers of late-'70s R&B -- disco and quiet storm -- the mix includes plenty of sexed-up R&B from Leon Ware ("What's Your Name"), Rufus & Chaka Khan ("Once You Get Started"), Kleeer ("Tonight's the Night"), and Skyy ("Here's to You," an unexpected gem). Still, having much to prove to jaded music fans and facing a steadily shrinking pile of rare grooves thanks to mixes like these, Jay Kay doesn't succeed in creating a truly diverting mix. Late Night Tales functions best as slinky background music to introduce a night out, or as a time capsule of pleasant yet mostly unimportant period music. Kay gives the compilation much-needed character, though, with a pair of changeups: a Liverpool band named the Real Thing, whose "Raining Through My Sunshine" was a personal favorite, and the underrated José Feliciano, whose "California Dreaming" is the track closest in vocal performance to Kay himself (alas, Stevie Wonder is nowhere to be found here). ~ John Bush, All Music Guide |
D! (dyego) |
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Dye
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Joined: 16 Nov 2003
Posts: 5146
Location: Planet Home; Buenos Aires, Argentina
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 17:23 |
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Interesting
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Biography
Jamiroquai
born: 30-12-1969
birth place: Stretford, Manchester, UK
Jason Kay was born 30 December 1969 in Stretford, Manchester. In his teens, he moved with his mother, jazz singer, Karen Kay, to east London. It was here that he developed an interest in hip hop, graffiti, and all the related street culture, displeasing his mother and causing many fights between them. Eventually his mum threw Jay out of her home, at age 15. He was forced to take on a variety of jobs to try to get by, including telemarketing and selling kilts.
Things weren’t going all that well. Kay was living in a squat in Ealing, west London and resorting to petty theft, often in trouble with the law. He finally reached the decision to stop this way of life and pursue his interest in music, after being attacked and stabbed in a near-death experience, and being arrested for a crime he did not commit.
The early 1990s acid jazz revolution was the perfect new start for the young Kay, in his unusual buffalo hat. After auditioning unsuccessfully as lead singer for The Brand New Heavies, he formed his own band, Jamiroquai. The original band members were Toby Smith (keyboards), Nick van Gelder (drums), Stuart Zender (bass), Wallis Buchanan (vibraphone) and Jay Kay (lead singer).
1992 was the year it all truly began. Jamiroquai’s debut single “When You Gonna Learn?” was played on Kiss FM and then released on record label Acid Jazz. Shortly after that, Kay signed an unprecedented £1 million, eight-album record deal, with Sony’s label “S2” (now known as Sony BMG Music Entertainment). It was a gamble for Sony, as at that stage, Kay was relatively unknown. It was a gamble, however, that paid off. To date, that deal has included sales of over twenty million albums and five world tours. Seven of the eight albums have been released, all of them huge successes.
Jamiroquai is recognised the world over and their music is undoubtedly danceable and their live act, electrifying. They’re not, however, all about funky visuals and good tunes, Kay always has an opinion about the world and mankind, and he isn’t afraid to share it. He gets the message across in his lyrics. The mercurial debut album, “Emergency on Planet Earth” (1993), full of soulful grooves and flowing jazz instrumentals, dealt with climate change, wars of power-hungry dictators, and world poverty.
“The Return of the Space Cowboy” (1994) followed, a raw and dark observation of inner-city life. The album that was to make Jamiroquai a global phenomenon, “Travelling Without Moving” (1996), also came with a warning about the dangers of biogenetic engineering. These concerns are today mirrored in the debate over cloning and donor babies. Strangely enough, the Grammy-winning single from the album, ‘Virtual Insanity’ (1996), was released on the day Dolly the Sheep was born. It won four awards at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, for Best Video, Best Special Effects, Best Cinematography, and Breakthrough Video. ‘Cosmic Girl’ (1996) was another huge hit single from this album, which helped Jamiroquai establish a hold on the American market.
Jamiroquai’s hit single ‘Deeper Underground’ (1998) was in the soundtrack of the movie “Godzilla” (1998). ‘Canned Heat’, a single from the next album “Synkronized” (1999), was featured in two films, “Center Stage” (2000) and “Napoleon Dynamite” (2004).
“Synkronized” (1999) and the multi-platinum “A Funk Odyssey” (2001) were two deeply personal albums for Kay and showed a shift in musical direction. Less evident were the acid jazz sounds and stonger was the pull towards funk and disco. This brought further commercial success for the band, with the single ‘Little L’ (2001) reaching number one in charts worldwide. Kay then took much-needed time out, to recuperate and recharge his energies.
“Late Night Tales: Jamiroquai” (2003) is a DJ mix album by Jamiroquai and is the tenth release in the “Late Night Tales” series.
After spending almost two years on the writing, recording and fine-tuning of the next album, Kay felt satisfied that it was worth the effort and was extremely proud of “Dynamite” (2005). It is probably their most diverse album, bringing together funk, disco, house, electronic and acoustic music. It was recorded in New York, Los Angeles, Costa Rica, Italy, Spain, Scotland, and in Kay’s studio in Buckinghamshire.
The single ‘Feels Just Like It Should’ (2005) reached number eight in the UK and number one, for six weeks, in the US. ‘Seven Days in Sunny June’ (2005) reached number 14 in its first week on the UK charts. Issues on this album surround world leadership, television evangelists and their moral credibility, and why there is so much hate in our modern world, often in the name of religion. Kay may have been quiet for a while, but he is back with feeling. The Jamiroquai sound is a little tighter, a little leaner and meaner, but it hasn’t lost any of its social conscience.
Many may view Kay in a poor light when looking at his tabloid headlines, his lifestyle, and his silly hats. However, it would be a mistake to underestimate him in any way. His fearless and forthright attitude may make him an easy target, but his heart is most certainly in the right place.
The current Jamiroquai line-up is: Jason Kay (vocals), Derrick McKenzie (drums), Sola Akingbola (percussion), Rob Harris (guitar), Matt Johnson (keyboards), Paul Turner (bass), Lorraine McIntosh (backing vocals), Hazel Fernandez (backing vocals), Sam Smith (backing vocals).
Derrick McKenzie (drums)
• Born 27 March 1962, with drumming in his blood.
• Became a fulltime and well sought after session drummer, with bands such as Urban Species.
• Central cohesive force of the band.
• Influences include classic soul music, Prince, and Billy Cobham (his drumming hero).
• Joined Jamiroquai in 1994 for the recording of the “Return of the Space Cowboy” album.
Sola Akingbola (percussion)
• Born in 1965 in Nigeria.
• As a young child, he moved with his parents to the UK.
• Used to DJ in London clubs.
• Only started taking his percussion playing seriously, about 10 years ago.
• Is strongly influenced by African music but his tastes are varied, including Miles Davis, Earth Wind and Fire, and classical composers.
• Has played with artists such as jazz guitarist Ronnie Jordan.
• Joined Jamiroquai in 1995.
Rob Harris (guitar)
• Born 27 August 1971 in Cambridgeshire.
• Started playing guitar at age seven and soon mastered both the acoustic and electric guitars.
• Inspired by The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix.
• Been playing professionally since age 21.
• Joined Jamiroquai in 2000 and soon started work recording “A Funk Odyssey”.
Matt Johnson (keyboards)
• Started playing the piano at age five (his father was a musician but he went to a piano teacher for lessons).
• Influences range from Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock to Squarepusher.
• Was a writer and performer in two bands, Sunray and Nu Hope, before Jamiroquai.
• Joined Jamiroquai in 2001, upon recommendation from previous Jamiroquai guitarist, Simon Katz.
Paul Turner (bass)
• Born in Sunderland.
• Been a full time professional musician since 1987.
• Spent two years recording and touring the world with Annie Lennox prior to joining Jamiroquai.
• Has played with the likes of Omar, Mica Paris, and urban jazz funk band Down to the Bone (very successful in the United States).
• Joined Jamiroquai in April 2005 (newest member).
Kay has become somewhat of a style icon, much to his amusement, gaining a collection of GQ and Elle style awards. He leads something of the rockstar lifestyle, owning a Buckinghamshire mansion, with a purpose-built recording studio, a garage overflowing with expensive, fast cars, and his own helipad in the grounds. He has a hideaway home in Scotland, near Gairloch, which he uses to escape the rigours of fame.
Kay has confirmed that Jamiroquai will be releasing their greatest hits album in November 2006. With this release, will come the end to Kay’s eight-album contract with Sony. Kay is planning a massive party to celebrate.
‘Jamiroquai’ combines the name of the Native American tribe, the ‘Iroquois’, and the music-based word ‘jam’.
Kay is a personal supporter of Animal Defenders International (ADI), an organisation that works closely with the UK government, to stop all forms of cruelty to animals.
A pine martin once broke into Kay’s home in Scotland, whilst he was in the United States. It shredded magazines, knocked over ornaments and left droppings everywhere.
On 26 January 1997, Jamiroquai performed at the Los Angeles House of Blues. Their concert was broadcast live on the internet.
Kay’s personal collection of 17 cars includes three Ferraris (one of them, a $1 million Ferrari Enzo), three Mercedez-Benz, a Rolls Royce, a red, 1972 Lamborghini, a Bentley and an Astin Martin DB5.
Indulging his passion for speed and fast cars, Kay was one of the drivers in the Pro Celebrity race, 10-11 March 2006. It was held at the Bahrain International Circuit, as part of the opening event for the 2006 Formula 1 season. He finished in seventh place.
The telephonic interview between Kay, at the Bahrain Grand Prix, and the BBC Radio 1 studio, found Kay conducting the call from a toilet, as the track was too noisy (the race was in progress).
Watercolours of the band, were painted by Italian artist Alessandro Curadi, during their September 2005 concert in Milan. These have mostly been signed by the band members and Kay owns one of them.
FILMOGRAPHY
Jay Kay – as television actor, as performer, as himself, and as part of Jamiroquai:
2005 “Sony Ericsson Christmas Calling: The Soundtrack to Your Season”, as Jamiroquai
2005 “GMTV”, 11 November, as Himself
2005 “Jimmy Kimmel Live”, 10 November, as Jamiroquai
2005 “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, 7 November, as Jamiroquai
2005 “The Work of Director Jonathan Glazer”, Jamiroquai segment: ‘Virtual Insanity’
2005 “Live 8”, as Jamiroquai
2005 “Later with Jools Holland”, as Jamiroquai
2005 “Tout le monde en parle”, 4 June, as Jamiroquai
2005 “Friday Night with Jonathan Ross”, as Himself
2004 “The Rise of the Celebrity Class”, as Himself
2004 “Silenci?”, 30 May, as Himself
2003 “The Importance of Being Famous”, as Himself
2002 “Top Gear”, 2 episodes: 27 Oct & 29 Dec, as Himself
2002 “Jamiroquai Live in Verona” as Jamiroquai
2002 “Brit Awards 2002”, as Performer
2001 “Party in the Park 2001”, as Jamiroquai
2000 “TFI Friday”, 1 Dec 2000, as Himself
2000 “Elizabeth Taylor: A Musical Celebration”, as Himself
2000 “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll”, as Jamiroquai
1999 “The Priory”, as Himself
1998 "The Young Person’s Guide to Becoming a Rock Star – Sign on the Line“, as Himself
1997 “MTV News: Year in Rock 1997”, as Himself
1997 “Saturday Night Live”, Jamiroquai was a musical guest
1997 “The Rosie O’Donnell Show”, as Himself
1996 “The Girlie Show“, as Himself
1993 “The Word”, as Jamiroquai
“Top of the Pops” – as Jamiroquai in 14 episodes dated:
1. 20 May 2005
2. 15 February 2002
3. 30 November 2001
4. 24 August 2001
5. 27 July 2001
6. 10 December 1999
7. 4 June 1999
8. 24 July 1998
9. 30 August 1996
10. 30 May 1996
11. 29 June 1995
12. 24 November 1994
13. 3 June 1993
14. 11 March 1993
[Greatest Hits Album (due November 2006)]
Dynamite (Dual Disc) (November 2005)
Dynamite (June 2005)
“Late Night Tales: Jamiroquai” (2003) [DJ mix]
A Funk Odyssey (2001)
Synkronized (1999)
Travelling Without Moving (1996)
The Return of the Space Cowboy (1994)
Emergency on Planet Earth (1993)
Speaking in March 2006, on his former cocaine addiction, a now clean-living Kay says: "I've been off that horrible stuff for two years and two months and I'll tell you I'd never go back."
"I screwed up my lines a bit today on the track...I think I ended up in Iraq or Qatar or somewhere...I was all over the place, it was terrible...I did get the fastest time the day before, but I think my co-driver lost me a couple of places. I blame it on him anyway." (Speaking at the Pro Celebrity race in Bahrain, March 2006).
“Please help the barbaric practice of keeping animals caged in zoos and circuses for the sole purpose of entertaining humans. I find it utterly distressing to see beautiful animals, which should be in the wild, confined and abused, both mentally and physically. We should be ashamed of ourselves.”
“I’ve been taking flying lessons and I’m about to get my licence…. It’s incredible. I want my mates to fly with me but they don’t trust me!”
Having taken two years in the writing and recording of his sixth album, “Dynamite” (2005), Kay admits “I’ve still got so much to prove. You’ve always got something to prove in this game. But the bottom line is I still love it. I love the thrill of seeing a track come together, and with this album we’ve been sitting with tracks, meticulously going through them, changing things, getting it right…. If you haven’t had an album out in four years, you want to have impact, and this says it, I’m back with a vengeance!”
“It’s your fault me and my love Denise split up. I f***ing hate you!” (Speaking of television beauty Denise van Outen, Kay shouts at paparazzo Dennis Gill at 2am, outside London’s Koko club).
Carey Latimore |
D! (dyego) |
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Dye
Correspondent & Expert
Joined: 16 Nov 2003
Posts: 5146
Location: Planet Home; Buenos Aires, Argentina
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 17:34 |
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Many of you will remember Jamiroquai from his only real North American mainstream song, Virtual Insanity, which hit the MTV and MuchMusic circuit in 1996. The British funk group’s newest album, Dynamite, came out in November 2005, with little or no exposure on this side of the pond.
People just don’t know what they’re missing.
The best part about Jamiroquai’s particular brand of music is the “feel good” nature it incorporates. The songs are all upbeat, with an infectious groove that will have even the most uptight person tapping the steering wheel. Hot Tequila Brown, one of the new album’s best songs in this author’s mind, is impossible to resist.
The genre here is difficult to classify. “Disco” is what immediately springs to mind, even alluded to on the artist’s website (of which he has two or three). I like to think of it as funk: the intense slap bass riffs and well placed horns, although subtle, give it a better flow than your traditional disco music.
The one downside that must be presented for this album is, although it has a seemingly diverse presence, follows the artist’s standard formula. The music does tend to blend together a little after you listen to the whole album a few times, especially since most of them follow about the same tempo. The lyrics sometimes pretend to be political, while this type of music should just convey the good vibe that the music gives into the words.
An added bonus to this disc is the new “DualDisc” feature it uses: one side is a DVD which contains the enhanced stereo version of the album for those of us with higher-end systems, as well as music videos; the other side is, of course, the normal CD version. The disc also has the tags on the songs properly in place, so car stereos that can read those tags can display song, artist, and album information. For some strange reason, this small feature is often ignored by artists and recording companies. With the recent explosion in car audio, it’s a wonder that people put up with simply looking at “Track 13″ on their screens rather than a very easy to add tag.
For myself, a big fan of funk and acid jazz, Dynamite is a must have.
Four out of five stars. |
D! (dyego) |
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deesh
Joined: 23 Feb 2002
Posts: 2717
Location: +001
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| Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2007 23:05 |
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I guess it's better late than never...mabye they just republished it or something?
JAMIROQUAI - DYNAMITE
By Sneha Nagesh | January 24, 2007
http://split-magazine.com/2007/01/24/jamiroquai-dynamite/
Jamiroquai have a reasonably decent number of likeable traits. They have an upbeat, fairly distinctive sound. They have amazing, novel videos that add to the appeal of the song and they have Jason Kay. In fact, the evident charisma of the vocalist often overrides the presence of any other people in the band and everyone ends up thinking that Jay Kay is Jamiroquai.
‘Dynamite’ has a very familiar sound. It is characteristic of Jamiroquai to the point that you might have to make an effort to actually differentiate between this and any other album of theirs. However, in all probability, one would still find something to appreciate in it simply because there is no denying the fact that the band is different from a lot of other acid jazz acts.
The first track, “Feels Like It Should” is everything that the name of the track suggests. It is so typical of Jamiroquai that one would consider it almost cocky. It’s the sort of song that gives you the impression that the band was having a ball while making it. It has a brilliant, groovy feel to it and lasts for the right amount of time unlike a couple of other songs on the album which seem to stretch on for a lot longer than you would anticipate.
The title track doesn’t make too much of an impact. It seems more like a half minute long song that has been put on repeat for five minutes. It definitely doesn’t live up to its name, being anything but explosive.
“Seven Days in Sunny June” is a nice change from the title track and has a very happy, relaxed feel to it. It’s one of the few songs on the album that you will find yourself humming unconsciously. The sound of guitars is a little more noticeable in this track. This song is easily one of the better ones on the album.
“Electric Mistress” has an innovative bass line that keeps you in its grasp for a while. It uses techno sounds that add that tinge of electronica to the song, which keeps the listener interested.
“Starchild” and “Loveblind” are mostly forgettable except perhaps, for the keyboard work in the latter, which gives it some amount of saving grace.
‘Dynamite’ has a very familiar sound. It is characteristic of Jamiroquai to the point that you might have to make an effort to actually differentiate between this and any other album of theirs.
“Talulah” slows the pace of the album considerably. It starts promisingly, with a lot of saxophone playing in the background. But even if the background music in the song is pretty commendable in a lot of places, it gives you the feeling that Jay was merely using it as a medium of communicating a dedication to one of his girlfriends.
“(Don’t) Give Hate a Chance” was probably meant to have been one of those symbolic songs, but it doesn’t go anywhere close to that. Moreover, it’s a little reminiscent of bands like “Brand New Heavies”.
“World That He Wants” does the same thing as “Talulah” and slows down the pace of the album. It might have actually succeeding in being a good song if it had been a little shorter.
“Black Devil Car”, “Hot Tequila Brown” and “Time Won’t Wait” are all equally funky, using the fretless bass sounds that the band is most known for, in generously large quantities.
‘Dynamite’ doesn’t really leave you with that lingering feeling that plays an important role in deciding if an album is good. Most of the songs are the sort that are better off individually, as singles than as part of an album. ‘Dynamite’ merely emphasizes on the need for Jamiroquai to go through a reinventing process, explore different techniques and try a little harder to come up with something new. What the album does do however is to successfully capture the sound that one has come to expect from Jamiroquai, and thus leave the listener comfortably satisfied if not terribly excited about the whole thing.
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www.dee34.wordpress.com |
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incognitojune
Joined: 09 Feb 2007
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 20:08 |
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great reads everyone!! |
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