For American audiences, two images come to mind when reading the name "Jamiroquai": one, the eye-catching "Virtual Insanity" video, which made a splash on MTV in 1996; and the film Napoleon Dynamite, which made comic use of the single "Canned Heat." Unfortunately, Jamiroquai has never equaled their "Virtual Insanity" days in the US, although the band continues its popularity in the UK and internationally. Frontman Jay Kay's sometimes abrasive personality may have limited their success, but his funky vocals (invoking comparisons to Stevie Wonder) and the band's acid jazz grooves remain irresistible. Need convincing? Listen to their incredible live performances.
Formed in 1992, Kay and the original lineup (Toby Smith, keyboard; Stuart 
Zender, bass; Nick Van Gelder, drums; Wallis Buchanan, didgeridoo; and Alec Moran, flute) found themselves poised at the tip of the then-burgeoning UK acid jazz movement. The Brand New Heavies, Incognito, and the James Taylor Quartet dominated at the time, but the band's first single, 1992's "When You Gonna Learn," generated buzz. Subsequently signed to Sony/BMG Music, Kay and the group released their first album, Emergency on Planet Earth, in 1993. While the album garnered attention—particularly due to the soul-drenched track "Too Young to Die"—it wasn't until 1996 when their disc Travelling without Moving broke them into a wider market. The gravity-defying video for "Virtual Insanity," which also featured Kay's Wonder-esque vocals and quirky dance moves, propelled the track into Billboard's Top 40. Two singles followed—the dance-friendly "Alright" and the lyrically eccentric "Cosmic Girl" ("Like some baby Barbarella/With the stars as her umbrella/She asked me if I'd like to magnetize")--but failed to achieve the same success. However, they have continued releasing quality albums, including 1999's funky Synkronized and 2001's aptly named A Funk Odyssey. Their last disc, Rock Dust Light Star, failed to earn a US release.
While Jamiroquai may have faded from some American fans' consciousness, their thumping beats, jazz-tinged chord changes, and Kay's clear, soulful voice remain largely unchanged. While their greatest hits album High Times: Singles 1992–2006 serves as an excellent overview of their work, it's their live performances that really merit another listen. There are two ways to experience their spirited jams: one, a search of torrents, MP3 sites, and fan message boards (for a full list of live performances, visit The Funkin' Site); another is a DVD from their 2003 performance at Montreux Jazz Festival.
Article comments
1 - Funkatopia
Thanks for posting the article about Jamiroquai. I, and many Funkatopia members, love them. I hadn't even heard about the Rock Dust Light Star album, but will be looking for it.
I think the main problem with Jamiroquai is that they had a winning formula with the first 2 albums and then with the 3rd album began changing that formula dramatically over to to a more techno sound. And they seemed to stay on that path long enough to permanently lose the U.S. audience they had. They simply ended up losing the fan base in the U.S. because we simply don't embrace techno over here in the states as much as they do overseas. It sounds as if they never abandoned their original sound in their live shows, but people didn't have interest in what they thought would be a techno show based on their recordings.
It's a shame because Jamiroquai is a very good band. They just need to re-prove themselves over here because there is plenty of room for their sound in the Top 40 world if they just could get marketed correctly. Thanks for doing your part!
2 - Sher171
I'm sorry Funkatopia.. but I don't agree with you.. I don't think that Jamiroquai needs to re-prove themself.. because the quality is still very high, Just because they changed their sound on Dynamite, it does not mean that Jamiroquai mad a bad turn there..btw I liked it anyway!! The group is known for the way they improvise, always someting that makes you wonder.. and I also think that the breakup with Sony had a big influence on the group.I hope that there wiil be a Jamiroquai tour in the US soon.. but it's not all up to the group..the label are holding the cards right?...
3 - shamiroquai66
great article! America most definitely missed the boat with this band and should have stayed loyal. Any great artist will branch out and Jay certainly did/does. Their early stuff is clearly proof that Jay/Jamiroquai is the most unique/versatile band globally and God poured a whole lot of funk/soul into this 5'7 british funkster!